Celtic have completed the signing of Patryk Klimala who has joined the Hoops from Jagiellonia Białystok on a four and a half year deal. The transfer value is said to be around £3.5m (The Scottish Sun). There was competition from Serie A club Genoa and Celtic’s next European rivals FC Copenhagen. But the Bhoys have managed to get the deal over the line.
The Polish striker had managed seven goals and three assists in 17 appearances in the league this season. Celtic seemingly got impressed with Poland’s youth international. Klimala started his career with Polish giants Legia Warsaw, but he wasn’t able to make a breakthrough for them.
Celtic have been linked with quite a few strikers this month and bringing in a centre forward was always going to be a priority. The Scottish giant’s name has been linked with Andraz Sporar and Tino Kadewere. With Klimala now coming in for a sum of £3.5m, we might not see Celtic going after the other strikers.
Klimala expresses he wants first-team football
Klimala looked determined to move in January, and he had claimed that he would move to play first-team football. The striker had earlier said, “First of all, I don’t want to be the fourth choice, only the first. I want to develop, so I will also choose a league that will give me that. If someone wants me and it is a good option, I will go and fight for my own.’’
At Celtic, he will have to prove his worth, before he gets a chance to start over Edouard.
What will he add to Lennon’s team?
The Polish forward is at his best when he gets to make runs between the channels or when his teammates try to find him with through balls. Klimala is quick and agile, and he also can carry the ball forward quickly.
He has decent finishing skills, but the striker is raw in terms of experience. Klimala’s hold up play is also not one of his best assets, so it remains to be seen how he would cope with physical defenders in the Premiership.
Celtic needed someone to get some pressure off Odsonne Edouard who has led the line well. However, beyond him, Lennon doesn’t have too many options, and he would hope that Klimala would do the job which Griffiths and Issouf Bayo have failed to do this season.
We wouldn’t expect miracles from Klimala straight away, and he would need some time to settle in. Sporar would have been a better alternative for Lennon, but it seems like Celtic will now have to make do with Klimala.
