According to the reports from the Scottish Sun, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s ace Yonatan Cohen has emerged as a prime transfer target for Celtic. It is being said that Celtic’s head of recruitment Nick Hammond had seen the striker recently in action and he has been impressed with him. Cohen is currently contracted to stay with the Israeli outfit until 2024.
Cohen has represented his country as well and is teammates with Nir Bitton and Hatem Abd Elhamed. Celtic are certainly trying to target the Israeli league’s football market as they are also linked with Ismaila Soro who plays for Bnei Yehuda.
23-year-old Cohen primarily plays as a secondary striker or on the left flank. The forward has nine goals and seven assists in all competitions so far this season.
Where might Cohen fit in?
The versatile forward is being valued at around £2.5m. Celtic reportedly want to strengthen their wide options as they have lost the services of Scott Sinclair. Lewis Morgan is also set to move to MLS club Inter Miami. The club already needs a striker to support Odsonne Edouard. Cohen can play on the flanks, and he can play upfront as well.
Cohen has predominantly played as a left-winger for his side this season. But instead of hugging the bylines every time, he likes to drift inside and shifts on his favoured right foot.
We believe that signing a striker is Celtic’s biggest priority in this window and they likely see Cohen as a striker. The likes of Leigh Griffiths and Vakoun Issouf Bayo have failed to cover for Odsonne Edouard as both of them have struggled with injuries. Even when they have played, they have looked below par.
What are Cohen’s qualities?
The four-times Israel international has got decent pace and dribbling skills. He is also known as a shrewd operator, and he can link up play smartly in the final third. His versatility to play in various positions in attacking areas would definitely come in handy. Cohen also seems to have physical qualities to play in the Premiership.
Celtic have had success by diving into the Israeli market. Hatem Abd Elhamed was an unknown name for many of us, but the defender has shown his quality in Celtic colours. Bitton has been with Celtic for some years now, and he recently extended his stay by signing a new contract which shows that the Scottish champions are happy with what he is offering. Hopefully, Cohen would be a hit signing for the Bhoys and his £2.5m valuation might end up looking like a bargain in a few years.
