According to The Times, Celtic have set their sights on Claudio Bravo. The Manchester City goalkeeper is among the players shortlisted in the club’s search for a new goalkeeper in the upcoming summer transfer window. Celtic‘s main priority is to try and secure the services of Fraser Forster permanently. However, Bravo has been recognised as a potential alternative, along with Joe Hart.
Claudio Bravo’s spell at Man City
Bravo is currently one of the most experienced players playing in the Premier League right now. Yet, he has not been able to establish himself as a first-choice ‘keeper at Manchester City.
Since arriving at Etihad back in 2016, the Chilean international has featured in only 60 competitive games for the Sky Blues. He has not been favoured by Pep Guardiola, certainly not over Ederson Moraes, with the Brazilian having already established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe.
This season, for example, Bravo has only featured in domestic cup matches, six of which have come in the Carabao Cup. And with his contract expiring at the end of the season, the ex-Barcelona man is poised to take the next step in his career.
Is Bravo an ideal target for Celtic?
As Forster’s loan spell nears its end, Celtic could face the challenge of replacing the Englishman in goal next season. Although their first objective will be to negotiate with Southampton regarding a permanent deal, Bravo is not a bad alternative at all.
As mentioned earlier, the Chilean has a vast amount of experience at the highest level of football. He has played in almost 250 matches in La Liga while winning 123 caps for his country. It could be useful for an otherwise inexperienced Celtic defence that surely needs leadership as they look to maintain their dominance over Scottish football.
In terms of performances, however, Bravo hasn’t been convincing in the recent memory. The 37-year-old has looked clumsy with the ball at his feet while his lack of authority inside the box might not be ideal for the Celtic defence. Also, he has played very little football in the past three years, thus raising doubts as to whether or not he will be able to perform consistently at the highest level.
Therefore, the Hoops should continue to favour a deal for Forster this summer and perhaps even go all out for the services of the Southampton star.
