Celtic ended the transfer window with a whimper. Still, they may now have a surprise opportunity to strengthen their engine room after holding talks with the camp of a free agent midfielder.
Celtic face pivotal week in Europa League and Scottish Premiership
After dropping points at home to Hibernian, Celtic sit two points behind Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership table and may well be five adrift once they take on Motherwell this Sunday, depending on whether the Jambos defeat Hibernian on Saturday night.
Overall, the Bhoys more than merited a victory against David Gray’s men last weekend. However, Kelechi Iheanacho missed several opportunities and his teammates were profligate in front of goal, leading to a goalless stalemate at Parkhead.
Now, Celtic turn their attention to the task of facing Braga in the Europa League on Thursday, swiftly be followed up by a home clash against the Steelmen.
Brendan Rodgers opted to remain positive after his side drew a blank against Hibernian, claiming their performance on the day was encouraging and they simply didn’t get the rub of the green to force a triumph over the line.
He stated: “In terms of performance, the players have done really, really well. If you look at all the metrics in the game, created big chances, moved the ball really well. And our only downside was that killer touch in the box.”
In theory, he is correct to point out that his side did put on a decent performance, though their tally of eight goals in six league games is a cause for concern that could lead to unrest if he isn’t able to rectify their lack of cutting edge.
Taking a step away from matters on the field, there may well now be an unexpected development on the transfer front concerning the Hoops.
Pierre Ekwah's agents hold talks with Celtic over his availability
According to Mark Hendry on Substack, free agent midfielder Pierre Ekwah’s camp have contacted Celtic to hold talks over a Parkhead move after he controversially saw his deal Ligue 2 club Saint-Ettienne ripped up under acrimonious circumstances.
Foot Mercato state Ekwah decided to terminate his deal himself after being unhappy at the French side activating an option to buy included in his loan deal from Sunderland last term. He has since been at a stand-off with the second-tier outfit and could be involved in a legal battle.
Keen to kickstart his career elsewhere, his camp has approached both Celtic and Rangers to gauge their interest in adding the 23-year-old to their ranks.
Capable of featuring either in defensive or central midfield, he made 29 appearances last term in Ligue 1. Ekwah hasn’t taken part in Saint-Ettiene training or pre-season, although he has clubs from England, Italy and Belgium vying for his services.
Celtic could use cover for Callum McGregor in the six role. However, it remains to be seen whether they pull the trigger in a situation that could become complicated between all parties involved after departing his club caused a huge stir.