According to the latest reports from the Daily Record, Celtic have completed the signing of Jonathan Afolabi on a two-year deal. The 19-year-old was a free agent, and the Bhoys have signed him up for free as he left English outfit Southampton this summer. The Irish forward has been a success at the youth level, and Lennon would now hope that he can get the best out of this young striker.
Lennon On Afolabi
Lennon went on to indicate that Afolabi will be seen as a developmental player instead of a first-team option. The manager said, ”He’s here. He’s a young lad from Southampton, we’ve signed him on a free transfer, and he’s one for development. He’s on the cusp (of signing), so he’ll come in and train with us, and we’ll get a good look at him in the next couple of weeks. Then we’ll decide what we want to do with him in terms of where his progression is. He had a great tournament in the Euros. He’s raw, but we feel he has good potential.”
Reports linked him with clubs like Crystal Palace and Aston Villa this summer. There were also interest from Spain and Russia for the forward, so Celtic might have a talented player at their disposal. Afolabi was a vital member of the Irish team which reached the semi-finals of summer’s European Championships at the youth level.
Good signing from Lennon?
It’s tough to give a verdict on a young talent like Afolabi who hasn’t played at the senior level. With Lennon indicating that he is one for the future, it is unlikely that we will see him in action for the first team at Parkhead.
It is always advisable to keep the young pool of players coming in, and Celtic have a rich history of relying on youth and building them into top players in a few years. It remains to be seen now whether they would be able to do the same with Afolabi.
Why should Celtic look for a striker for the first team?
Celtic could have probably done with a first-team strike option as well. A lot rests on Odsonne Edouard’s shoulders, and the only reasonable backup Lennon has is Leigh Griffiths. In a long season where Celtic will be expected to compete on all fronts, having two strikers will probably put them under severe pressure if one of them suffers an injury.
Vakoun Issouf Bayo has failed to make any impact ever since his arrival, and he doesn’t seem to be a plausible option. So Celtic need to consider bringing in a first-team forward option as well.
