When Celtic finally announce their new manager in the coming weeks or months, the person they hire will have a huge job on their hands.
Not only will they be tasked with reviving a giant that’s fallen from its pedestal this term, but they will also likely have to address a mass exodus at Parkhead.
Odsonne Edouard is set to be the most high profile departure. The Frenchman has scored 20 goals this term but could be on his way out of the Hoops with Premier League clubs aplenty chasing his signature.
Trying to replace him will be an uphill struggle. The Bhoys will be losing their top scorer from the last few seasons after all.
One player they’ve looked at is Sunderland forward Charlie Wyke. The striker is out of contract in a few months time and could arrive on a free transfer.
With no price involved, it would be risk-free for someone who’s been so potent in England’s third tier.
He’s scored 30 strikes for the Black Cats this season, living up to the “clinical” label that manager Lee Johnson has thrown his way this year.
A robust striker, Wyke is impeccable in the air. 12 of his 25 league goals have been scored with his head in 2020/21, which can only mean one thing; he’s a set-piece threat.
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For someone like David Turnbull, this has the potential to be game-changing.
The Scot has been one of the very few positives from Celtic’s arduous season, bagging nine goals and registering seven assists.
He is a weapon from dead-ball scenarios and who finds himself stood over free-kicks and corners.
Adding Wyke to their squad could be highly beneficial for a team who until recently, hadn’t been potent from set-plays since the Martin O’Neill era.
After the first few months of the current campaign Celtic were averaging 0.7 set-piece goals and 5.4 set-piece attempts on goal per 90 compared to 0.5 and 4.5 per 90 in 2019-20.
Throw Wyke into the mix, therefore, and they could be an ever bigger threat when Turnbull puts the ball down in a promising area.
Celtic need all the help they can get if they’re to reclaim their dominance of Scottish football again. If it’s set-pieces and a more aerial route to goal that gets them back where they belong then so be it.
Either way, Wyke knows his way to goal and that can only be a good thing for the Bhoys.