Celtic supporters might have watched Daizen Maeda’s Japan safe a powerful World Cup draw with Germany on Sunday night time.
The Japanese star has one 12 months left on his contract at Parkhead and a powerful efficiency on this competitors might improve his possibilities of securing a transfer from Glasgow this summer time.
In the meantime, Arne Engels was not chosen in Belgium’s squad for the World Cup, however the central midfielder might resolve to maneuver to a serious European league within the coming weeks.
It was just lately reported that Premier League facet Sunderland have already made contact with the Hoops over a possible transfer for his or her star participant, which might value round £22 million.
Celtic presently face a battle to maintain the previous Augsburg star, with groups throughout Europe eyeing him as a possible goal.
Celtic desirous about signing World Cup midfielder
However Engels, who scored in final month’s SFA Cup last in opposition to Dunfermline, is just not irreplaceable and Martin O’Neill might enter the market to melt the blow of shedding him.
Actually, the Northern Irish head coach is reportedly already contemplating a star participant who might be part of as a fair higher possibility for the membership in the course of the park.
In keeping with the Scottish Solar, Celtic are contemplating signing Astana central midfielder Ivan Primary in the summertime switch window to strengthen their midfield choices.
The report stated O’Neill was monitoring his progress on the World Cup with Bosnia after final week’s 1-1 draw with Canada in his 18th worldwide match.
What’s extra, Primary is being thought of as a doable substitute for Engels, who claims to have attracted curiosity from Serie A groups Napoli and Lazio.
Nonetheless, the Scottish Solar has not revealed how a lot cash Astana would demand for his or her star midfielder if the Hoops resolve to make a concrete transfer on him earlier than the top of the summer time interval.
Why Ivan Primary might be higher than Arne Engels at Celtic
The Scottish Premiership champions ought to now try to conclude a contract with the Bosnian participant. That is as a result of he might be a fair higher possibility for O’Neill than Engels in midfield.
Engels didn’t have the very best season within the league with the Hoops in 2025/26. He performed in 30 video games, scoring 3 non-penalty targets and recording 3 assists, however misplaced 59% of his complete matches.
In the meantime, Primary has loved a powerful begin to the season in Kazakhstan, however was thrust into the highlight earlier this month throughout Bosnia’s first group stage match in opposition to Canada.
|
Canada 1-1 Bosnia |
ivan fundamental |
|---|---|
|
minutes |
62 |
|
Cross accuracy |
81% |
|
profitable cross |
5 |
|
A possibility has arisen |
5 |
|
intercept |
2 |
|
Contribution in protection |
3 |
|
dribbled previous |
0x |
The 24-year-old star created an unimaginable 5 possibilities for his nation in opposition to Canada. Solely Joshua Kimmich in opposition to Curacao and Yann Diomande in opposition to Ecuador have matched this feat on this summer time’s match.
Primary additionally confirmed his creativity within the begin of the 2026 Premier League season in Astana, creating 1.4 possibilities per sport and registering two assists in 10 appearances.
This implies he has the potential to be an much more artistic risk for Celtic than Engels, who solely assisted three targets in 30 video games within the 2025/26 Premiership.
The Bosnian star additionally averaged 1.7 profitable dribbles per sport in comparison with Engels’ 0.1 within the Premiership, that means he can present his workforce with extra dribbles in transition with the ball at his ft.
By way of off-the-ball contributions, Primary has averaged 8.2 ball recoveries per sport within the first 10 video games of this 12 months’s Premier League season, displaying that he’s persistently successful the ball again for his workforce.
He can win the ball again way more successfully than Engels, who averaged 2.0 recoveries per sport at league stage for Celtic, and will enhance possession situations for O’Neill’s facet.
Primary, 24, will be part of Parkhead as one other participant like Engels, however Engels nonetheless has time to develop and enhance as a participant.
Nonetheless, Celtic might have to act rapidly in the event that they need to safe an improve for the Belgian, as a greater efficiency on the World Cup might improve the variety of groups seeking to signal him this summer time.
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