Celtic could sanction Palma exit with move for “sensational” £8.5m star
The January transfer window officially opened for business last week and there have already been plenty of rumours around Celtic‘s potential moves, inwards and out.
A return to Parkhead for Kieran Tierney is the most tangible incoming rumour to date, with reports that the club are expected to sign the Scotland international on loan from Arsenal this month, before his contract at The Emirates expires at the end of the season.
The Premier League full-back is not the only player who has been linked with a move to Glasgow before the end of the window, however, as the Hoops are also reportedly keen on Burnley captain Josh Brownhill, who is another star heading into the final months of his deal.
Brendan Rodgers has also been linked with an interest in reuniting with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, whom he worked with at Leicester City, as he has struggled for game time with Chelsea this season.
There could also be movement on the way out of Parkhead as the Celtic boss may look to move players on from the club in order to make room for new signings to come in and bolster the team.
One player who has been touted with an exit from the Scottish Premiership champions before the end of the January transfer window is Luis Palma, who has attracted interest from elsewhere.
Latest on Luis Palma’s future
According to a recent report from Honduran outlet Diez, as relayed by The Scottish Sun, Celtic have already rejected two offers from unnamed clubs for the left winger this month.
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It was claimed that the Hoops are hoping to keep hold of the Honduras international until the end of the season, despite him having started one of his six league appearances, unless a suitable offer comes in that can change their mind on his short-term future.
The outlet added that the Scottish giants would want to recoup a fee in the region of £3m, which they paid to sign him from Aris in the summer of 2023, to allow him to leave.
Whilst the original report from Diez did not name any of the interested parties, The Scottish Sun mentioned that Genoa, Atlanta United, and Orlando City have interest in a permanent deal for the winger, whilst Rayo Vallecano are hoping to sign him on loan.
It has previously been reported that Celtic would only allow Palma to move on from Parkhead in the January transfer window if they can bring in players in his position, so as not to leave Rodgers short in that area of the pitch heading into the second half of the season.
With this in mind, the Hoops should swoop for one of their reported targets to allow the Northern Irish boss to sanction a transfer for the winger, amid plenty of interest in him, before the end of the window.
Celtic’s interest in £8.5m forward
At the start of December, Football Insider reported that Celtic have set their sights on a swoop for versatile Brondby forward Mathias Kvistgaarden in January, as they look to add to their current options at the top end of the pitch.
The report claimed that the Bhoys are keeping tabs on the Danish star’s progress with his current club and are interested in a deal to bring him to Parkhead to bolster Rodgers’ squad ahead of the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.
It was revealed that the Celtic manager wants to add further strength in depth to help insure his team against injuries, with the Premiership, the SFA Cup, and the Champions League still to play for in the months to come.
Football Insider added, though, that the Scottish side are prepared to wait until the end of the season to strike a deal for him if they cannot get a transfer over the line before February’s deadline.
This interest in Kvistgaarden is nothing new, however, as the Hoops were linked with an interest in the Denmark U21 international in the summer transfer window, at which point the youngster was said to be valued at around £8.5m.
Rodgers must, now, push for the board to finally seal a deal to bring the Danish dynamo to Parkhead before the end of this window, because his arrival could allow the manager to sanction an exit for Palma.
Why Celtic should sign Mathias Kvistgaarden
The 22-year-old forward is a versatile attacker who could provide the Celtic manager with another option in all three of his frontline forward roles, as he can play through the middle as a centre-forward or on either flank as a winger.
Interestingly, Kvistgaarden has scored five goals and provided one assist in ten matches as a left winger in his career to date, which suggests that he can provide a strong attacking presence in that role – despite it not being his natural position.
With Daizen Maeda the first-choice on the left flank ahead of Palma, Celtic do not need to sign a guaranteed starter on the left to sanction an exit for the Honduras international.
Signing Kvistgaarden, who could predominantly be used as a centre-forward, would allow the club to move the former Aris ace on this month, because they would then have a quality option who could be utilised in that position if Maeda needs to be dropped or rested.
The Brondby dynamo, who has been described as “absolutely sensational” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has been in fantastic form in the Danish top-flight this season, which suggests that he has the ability to step in and offer Rodgers a quality option through the middle or out wide.
24/25 Superliga |
Mathias Kvistgaarden |
---|---|
Starts |
12 |
Goals |
10 |
Big chances missed |
6 |
Conversion rate |
26% |
Assists |
4 |
|
As you can see in the table above, Kvistgaarden has provided a regular threat at the top end of the pitch with a staggering 14 goals and assists in 12 starts in the Superliga.
Meanwhile, Kyogo Furuhashi has scored eight goals and missed 15 ‘big chances’ in 19 Premiership matches, which suggests that the £8.5m-rated star could come in as an upgrade on the Japanese dud if he can translate his form over to Scottish football.
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Therefore, Kvistgaarden could be a terrific signing for Celtic because he could offer versatility that would allow Rodgers to sanction a sale for Palma and quality that could improve the team in the centre-forward position.
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2025-01-06 19:15:06