According to a recent report by Glasgow Times, reigning Premiership champions Celtic are said to be preparing to face competition from Old Firm rivals Rangers for the signature of West Ham United loanee Grady Diangana. The report claims that the English youth international winger has been on Celtic’s radar for a while now, but that Rangers’ entrance into the picture makes for a potentially complicated situation.
Although both clubs have reportedly made initial contact with the Hammers, Rangers are also said to have spoken to the player’s representatives. The Baggies are claimed to be in the equation too, with Premier League promotion just around the corner for the Hawthorns club.
While the report has clarified that Celtic are interested in West Ham United’s Grady Diangana, whether or not they’re able to beat the Ibrox club to his signature remains to be seen. The Gers reportedly came close to signing the speedster last summer before deciding to look elsewhere, at which point the Englishman went on to join West Bromwich Albion. It has further been claimed that the speedster’s future is unlikely to be resolved before the end of the campaign, but that his primary preference would be to remain at the London Stadium, considering that he’s given a place in the first-team setup by manager David Moyes.
What Makes Grady Diangana A Good Option For Celtic?
The 22-year-old has been a member of the West Ham United squad for quite a while now, and it was through the Hammers’ youth system that the speedster made a name for himself. Having been at the club for more than ten years, his desire to stay on and play for the London club next season is entirely understandable. The winger though, despite possessing superb quality on the ball, is unlikely to become a first-team starter at the London Stadium next season. The presence of names like Felipe Anderson, Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen are likely to make the Englishman’s task even more difficult.
Diangana is a confident carrier of the ball, and is capable of operating anywhere across the front-line. Despite being a right-winger by position, the speedster can be a threat from a variety of avenues on the pitch, with his fantastic dribbling ability making him stand out as well. Capable of beating any defender in the world on his day, the speedster showcased a lot of this quality during his stint with the Baggies this season. The youngster played in a total of 28 Championship outings for the Hawthorns club and picked up a decent enough return of seven goals and six assists.
The attacker has shown a respectable amount of scope for development, and that could be one of the main reasons behind the Baggies’ desire to re-sign him next season. The West Ham loanee tends to be a dangerous player in the final third of the pitch, and if he’s able to carry on the same exploits he has managed in the Championship next season as well, then signing him makes sense for any side with the right ambitions. Despite being 22, the forward shows incredible composure with the ball at his feet and tends to be well-aware of his positioning and passing at all times.
Celtic Are Interested In West Ham United’s Grady Diangana: Why Lennon Must Beat Gerrard To His Signature
The Celts’ most recent pre-season friendly against Nice didn’t show them in the best light, as the likes of Odsonne Edouard and James Forrest struggled to really get into the game. While the performance of Mohamed Elyounoussi was commendable, there just weren’t too many individual standouts in attack throughout that tie. If that had been an indicator of how they’re to perform in the Premiership this season, then Rangers will undoubtedly be up with a shout for the title. Signing a player of Diangana’s quality and influence would likely add the cutting edge that seemed to be missing in Celts’ attack last evening, which means that beating the Ibrox club to his signature is about as important as it gets for the Parkhead outfit.
