Celtic have kept their transfer activities short and sweet this summer so far. With the ultra-aggressive stance that their arch rivals Rangers have taken, Brendan Rodgers’ patience should be really appreciated. The former Liverpool boss comes on the back of an inch perfect domestic season, where his side hardly put a step wrong making it all the more difficult for the manager to recognise the schisms.
And honestly, Celtic hardly have any weaknesses in them if compared to the sides they play in the Scottish Premiership. However, it is their European campaign that will be Rodgers’ true challenge now. The boss knows the inexperience and lack of depth that his squad currently suffers with, to compete at the highest level and has found it difficult to get in options who would provide that blend with his available financial resources.
Celtic have never been the most affluent of sides in European football and Rodgers had to work with a restrained budget since taking charge of the club from a side like Liverpool. However difficult, such options are still available in the market, which needs patience and right timing to do the trick.
Just as this could be the perfect timing for Celtic to move for Arsenal’s want-away full-back, Kieran Gibbs. The English international is a sure departure this summer after the Gunners brought in Sead Kolasinac from Schalke for free this summer. Following their terrible season last campaign, the North London side are splurging the cash this summer and have already brought in Ligue1 star Alexandre Lacazette apart from Kolasinac.
However, it comes on the back of a massive clear out from the first team too, which includes the possibilities of Gibbs, Jack Wilshere, Yaya Sanogo, Mathieu Debuchy, Carl Jenkinson and even Francis Coquelin to name a few.
It would be the perfect time for Celtic to snap Gibbs up as the London side runs out of time to dispose of him. They had priced him at £15 million earlier but it has hardly been taken seriously by any other clubs taking interest in the league, which might force them to lower the price.
In the left defensive flank, Celtic have the options of 20-year-old Kieran Tierney and 31-year-old Emilio Izaguirre. Despite being a quality talent and future of Scotland, Tierney isn’t up there with the elites and he would still need much more experience to perform solidly against the top sides in the Champions League, and Izaguirre never quite had the attributes to make it to the top.
Gibbs, who has been with Arsenal for 13 years now since joining the side as a 14-year-old, not only has the experience to play at the top-level but has also played against some of the best in that position. He first started on the side on the European platform back in 2008 when he was only a 16-year-old. He has played 42 times since then against the best of sides scoring two goals and assisting four times.
Arsenal dropping down to Europa League could lead Gibbs to choose Celtic’s Champions League stature, and not only would he bring competition to the side but seriously boost Celtic’s chances of going past the group stages in the Champions League.
