Celtic are stuck at a crossroads right now. For the first time in a decade, they are no longer champions of Scotland, and they also have no manager.
Despite that, they’re already targeting plenty of additions in the January window. Liam Shaw has already arrived for instance.
On the chalkboard
One area Celtic may need to improve in is in the middle of the park. Scott Brown’s contract is set to expire and thus, there will be an opening for another player in midfield.
Ismaila Soro feels like Brown’s natural heir if he does indeed leave but there are other options.
The Hoops targeted Giannelli Imbula in January while James McCarthy is another to have been on their radar.
Celtic were interested in a move for the Irishman last summer before registering further appeal in January. The Crystal Palace midfielder is out of contract in the summer so could arrive on a free transfer.
The solution
Indeed, the answer may not lie in any of the aforementioned names. Instead, the solution could fall at the feet of Motherwell’s Allan Campbell.
They knocked back significant bids for his services in January and now he’s a player being tipped to move to Glasgow.
That’s according to Hoops podcaster Colin Watt who said: “Someone I’d love to see us pick up – and I believe he’s actually available right now to sign a pre-contract – is Allan Campbell at Motherwell. I think the guy’s got a really big future ahead of him.”
The 22-year-old would be a great pick up for the Bhoys and he has plenty of history with the Glaswegians.
During the 2018 Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park, he and Callum McGregor clashed as they started shoving and pushing each other aside.
Though, if we’re looking for a closer connection, we need to look no further than David Turnbull. No player has featured more alongside the Celtic star than Campbell.
According to Transfermarkt, the pairing have played together on 38 occasions from youth level to senior level. They have amassed 2,859 minutes together, 203 more than anyone else.
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They clearly have a great understanding and you only need to assess words from Campbell to understand that. The Motherwell brute has waxed lyrical about him in the past.
Speaking in February, he commented: “We’ve got a lot of respect for each other. I hope he does well and likewise he’ll want me to do well.
“He’s a top player and a hard-working player, and he’s come here and had a real impact on the team (at Celtic). That wasn’t a surprise to anybody at Fir Park.”
With an understanding like that, they have the potential to create an eye-catching dynamic at Celtic. Certainly, with Brown possibly departing, signing a player of Campbell’s calibre would go down well.