Summary Celtic gearing up for 2024/25 campaign, eyeing fourth straight title win. Summer transfers key to success. Addition of goalkeepers, possible permanent deal for Paulo Bernardo. Celtic in talks with Southampton over Matt O'Riley. Former Leicester hardman Wilfred Ndidi comparison to Celtic's potential signing Shea Charles, highlighting Charles' defensive prowess.
Celtic do not have long now until they kick the first ball in anger for the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign as they face Kilmarnock at Parkhead on Sunday.
The Hoops are looking to retain the title for the fourth straight season in succession and using the summer transfer window could be key to achieving that.
Brendan Rodgers, though, is yet to add an outfield player to his squad since the window officially opened for business last month, with two goalkeepers having joined the group so far.
Joe Hart retired at the end of last season and that left the Bhoys in need of a new number one for this term, which led to the signings of Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo.
Celtic are, though, reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Paulo Bernardo on a permanent deal from Benfica, after his loan spell at Parkhead last season.
The Portuguese whiz may not be the only central midfielder to come through the door for the Scottish giants this summer, however, as they could land a new anchor for their midfield as part of an exit for one of their stars.
Celtic in talks with Premier League club
According to The Sun journalist Jack Rosser, Celtic are in talks with Premier League side Southampton over a deal for Danish whiz Matt O'Riley.
The reporter claims that the two clubs are discussing a potential move for the former MK Dons man, who is wanted by the newly-promoted outfit.
He adds that the Saints are offering defensive midfielder Shea Charles as a makeweight to push a deal over the line, with discussions over a possible loan with an option-to-buy for the Northern Ireland international.
Meanwhile, Serie A side Atalanta are reportedly lining up a fourth bid for the Celtic attacking midfielder and could, therefore, provide Southampton with competition for his signature.
It remains to be seen how much the Saints would be willing to offer alongside a loan for Charles, whilst Atalanta's last bid fell short at around £14m.
There is also no mention of how much the option to sign the Southampton youngster on a permanent deal would be worth, or how much the Hoops are prepared to pay for him.
Charles would not be a direct replacement for O'Riley if this proposed swap were to go through, though, as he is a defensive-minded battler. Instead, he could be Rodgers' next version of Wilfred Ndidi.
Ndidi's defensive excellent for Rodgers
The pair worked alongside each other for a number of years at Leicester City in England, as the Nigeria international provided the manager with a fantastic anchor at the base of his midfield.
He made 138 appearances in all competitions across five seasons under the Northern Irish boss, which shows that the impressive enforcer was a consistent presence in the team during that period.
Standing at 6 foot, Ndidi is not an immediately towering and imposing figure in the middle of the park but he uses every inch of his body to make himself a fantastic screen in front of the defence.
The 27-year-old battler was linked with a move to Glasgow earlier this summer, as his contract with the English side expired last month, but nothing has come of that link.
He consistently proved himself to be a superb defender at Premier League level for Rodgers over the course of their many years together at the King Power.
His last full season with the ex-Foxes boss came in the 2021/22 campaign and Ndidi's defensive statistics were exceptional that term for Leicester.
Tackles
3.34
Top 3%
Interceptions
2.34
Top 1%
Blocks
2.00
Top 5%
Clearances
3.00
Top 2%
Aerials won
2.34
Top 5%
As you can see in the table above, he ranked among the best in his position in a host of key out of possession metrics, including tackles, interceptions, and blocks.
These statistics show that Ndidi excelled at putting himself around the pitch to put out fires and cut out opposition attacks to win possession back for his team.
He used his athleticism and reading of the game to shield his back four and mop up play to provide the attacking players with a fantastic platform to work with.
Why Shea Charles could be Wilfred Ndidi 2.0
Charles was snapped up by Southampton from Premier League champions Manchester City last summer and enjoyed his first taste of regular first-team football in the 2023/24 campaign.
The 20-year-old starlet, unlike Ndidi, is not an experienced operator who would come in as a proven quantity. Instead, Celtic would be signing a player with potential who could grow with more time on the pitch in Glasgow.
He only started 15 of his 32 Championship appearances for the Saints but did showcase glimpses of his quality in and out of possession in the second tier of English football.
The defensive midfielder ranked within the top 4% of midfielders in the league for pass success rate (88.9%) and the top 25% for progressive passes per 90 (5.95), which shows that he is reliable and progressive on the ball at the base of the midfield.
His defensive work was also eye-catching, though, as Charles averaged 3.51 tackles and interceptions per 90 and ranked within the top 35% of his positional peers or higher for tackles, interceptions, blocks, clearances, and aerials won per 90 respectively.
Appearances
9
Sofascore rating
7.07
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.4
Ball recoveries per game
8.2
Ground duel success rate
64%
Aerial duel success rate
60%
As you can see in the table above, the 20-year-old brute also impressed in Euros qualifiers for Northern Ireland with his fantastic defensive quality.
Charles, who was hailed as "terrific" by journalist Mark McIntosh, showcased his physical dominance by winning the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air, which shows that he can dominate midfield battles.
Imagine him & Carter-Vickers: Celtic targetting swoop for £20k-p/w "leader"
The Hoops are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the central defender this summer.
ByDan EmeryJul 27, 2024
Therefore, the Saints youngster has the potential to be Rodgers' new Ndidi due to his dominant defensive work and progressive and reliable passing on the ball, which is why he could be a shrewd addition as part of a deal for O'Riley.