Comebacks have been all the rage at Celtic recently, with Brendan Rodgers continuing where he left off on the trophy trail. It’s understandable that some fans look at a few ex-players and wish to see the manager get the band back together. You understand the temptation. Fans consider the positions of Odsonne Edouard, Kieran Tierney, Stuart Armstrong, and Fraser Forster and believe the stars are aligned to bring them home.
Perhaps Celtic might also consider bringing back Henrik Larsson. After all, my old mate seemed to be in good shape. Because these individuals’ returns aren’t certain, Henrik may have as good a shot as the others to appear next season. Don’t get me wrong, all of these guys were successful for Celtic and would undoubtedly benefit the present side.
I just would not get my hopes up. You must be realistic, Edouard, since there are other factors at work. There are speculations that Crystal Palace will let him go this summer, but the question is how much.
They will be looking to recoup a substantial portion of the £20 million they paid on him to sign him from Celtic – and that’s before you get into his pay. Edouard’s pay is likely to have increased when he moved down there, and he will find plenty of clubs eager to match those terms. Let’s face it: that will put him far above Celtic’s means. Tierney is in the same boat. I believe he will return to the club at some point, but unless Arsenal is feeling kind, it will not be soon.
Tierney has had some injury issues, but he is a proven player at the highest level. He has performed admirably in the Premier League and made an impression in Spain with Real Sociedad last season. He’s another big-money player who will have plenty of offers in England and overseas if Arsenal decides to let him go.
The other two look fascinating. Armstrong is a free agent, which could help to balance some of the wage difficulties. However, he, too, will receive numerous offers this summer. He has been an excellent performer for Southampton, and I expect a slew of clubs at the top of the Championship to want him on board. Armstrong may be 32 years old today, but he takes care of himself and still has lots of energy. He would be an excellent signing for Celtic, maybe filling the vacuum left by Aaron Mooy last year. I’ve previously stated that we shouldn’t assume Matt O’Riley is leaving, but Celtic will still need another offensive midfielder.
Talks with Paulo Bernardo are underway, and if they can get him from Benfica for a low price, it would be a wise move. Armstrong, as a ready-made player, would be an appealing proposition, especially on the cheap, but is he someone the club would go to great lengths to sign? He’s not a young developmental player, but experience can help at times, as Joe Hart demonstrated.
Speaking of keepers, there’s always chatter of Forster returning for a third time. I know he enjoyed his time at Celtic, and at 36 years old, he might want to follow in the footsteps of the departing number one and complete his career with the club. But, again, he has a year left on a rich contract with Spurs and will have options. You wonder if he’d fit in with Rodgers’ way of playing out of the back, but there’s no doubt he has the presence and stature to replace Hart. He would be a good fit for this vital role at the club. I just think that would be another tough business to do.
We know Celtic will not deviate too much from their tried and true model. People associated with the club can rightfully claim to the success it has provided them, with trophies piling up alongside cash in the bank. Developing and marketing players has been successful for them. However, if they are to make a serious run at the Champions League, they will need to adjust their strategy slightly. There is no problem with signing prospects; that is how it has to be at Celtic. However, they do need to sign a higher-level talent. Consider Edouard, who arrived for £9 million.
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