It’s not often you miss a left-back so much. It’s not often you regret not signing one either. However, both of those couldn’t be truer with Celtic.
In the summer of 2019, they reluctantly sold Kieran Tierney for a Scottish record of £25m. The full-back has since become of Arsenal’s biggest creators, proving to be a rampaging force down the left-hand side.
In the Premier League, he is high up for sprints and running intensity per 90 minutes, demonstrating fierce qualities in the final third.
It’s hard to suggest that Celtic did a good job of replacing him either. Once he departed, the Bhoys signed Boli Bolingoli for £3m and then added Greg Taylor to their ranks on deadline day.
Taylor is now a bit-part member of the squad following Diego Laxalt’s arrival last summer while Bolingoli is on loan after a moment of madness at the beginning of the season. The defender went on an unsanctioned trip abroad and put the entire squad at risk.
Though, it could have worked out very differently. Celtic made a bid in the summer of 2019 to sign Romain Perraud who was then at Nice.
The player revealed that he had “concrete offers” from both the Glaswegians and Dijon. Though, Perraud admits that his club didn’t field any further interest. Unfortunately for Celtic he resultantly signed for Brest.
He has since become one of the most threatening defenders in French football and thus, is taking interest from the English Premier League.
For Nick Hammond and co, this feels like a classic case of one who got away. That’s because he would have been the ideal Tierney successor.
So far this term, he has been involved in eight goals and is relentless in his nature to get down the left-hand side.
Assessing stats provided by Smarterscout, a tool that uses videogame-like ratings out of 99, it demonstrates that the 23-year-old is particularly good going forward.
Adjusted to Premier League standard – via The Athletic – Perraud’s carry and dribble volume ranks at 89 out of 99. On top of that, expected goals from his chance creation are rated at 75 while his shot volume is a staggering 99 for someone in his position.
For context, Tierney’s dribbling in the Premier League this term ranks at 80. Meanwhile, the Arsenal full-back’s expected goals from his passing ranks at just 52 in comparison to Perraud.
On that evidence, they could have landed an upgrade here. He is rampant going forward and would surely have flourished in Scottish football judging by how much Celtic like to keep the ball.
He joined Brest for just £1.8m according to Transfermarkt. It’s rather perplexing the Hoops couldn’t pursue the deal further. Perraud would have been perfect.