When the new season begins, Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers may find himself in a challenging scenario as several players are expected to be out for international service.
Depending on selections and how far their different teams advance in the competition, the Hoops may be absent several of their best players for the 2024 Asian Cup, which takes place between January 12 and February 10.
A number of the Bhoys’ stars, including Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Hyeon-gyu Oh, and Hyun-jun Yang, might be traveling to the competition and miss games for the Scottish powerhouses.
Due to the possibility that both of Celtic’s recognized center-forward alternatives may be playing in the Asian Cup and so unavailable for Rodgers to choose, this might leave the team very thin at the top of the pitch.
In light of this, the Parkhead team may find it advantageous to add a second number nine during the January transfer window to take the lead in their place.
Sydney van Hooijdonk, a striker and the son of former Bhoys star Pierre, has been linked to the Hoops, suggesting they are already on the case.
News of a Celtic transfer: Sydney van Hooijdonk
Sport page 3 of the printed version of Corriere di Bologna (20/11/2023), via 67HailHail, reports that Bologna is ready to approve a loan agreement for the youthful star in January.
News of a Celtic transfer: Sydney van Hooijdonk
Sport page 3 of the printed version of Corriere di Bologna (20/11/2023), via 67HailHail, reports that Bologna is ready to approve a loan agreement for the youthful star in January.
According to the source, the Serie A team is prepared to temporarily bench him for the second half of the season in order to make room for their own acquisitions in that part of the field.
According to reports, Celtic has already started to inquire about a potential move to sign him, though it’s unclear if they would prefer a loan or a permanent transfer.
Van Hooijdonk could step in to provide relief while Oh and Kyogo are potentially abroad with their respective countries, and the club wouldn’t be locked into three senior attackers past the end of the season, so a temporary arrangement might be the ideal answer for the Scottish powerhouses.
It could be challenging to maintain three first-team alternatives satisfied when Rodgers only starts one center-forward in his preferred configuration, especially considering that Celtic is presently positioned last in their Champions League group and is certain to be eliminated from Europe this season. Van Hooijdonk is not a fresh target for the Hornets; reporter Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports noted that the team had been keeping an eye on him during the summer transfer window. However, they were unable to reach a dela with Bologna or chose to forego making a move at that particular moment.
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