Celtic are yet to appoint a new manager but if it is indeed Eddie Howe that sits in the Bhoys dugout next term, he’s already beginning to make his mark on proceedings.
Defender Steve Cook has been linked with a move after playing under Howe but it’s another of his former players that’s now come to the centre of their attention.
What’s the word?
According to The Sun, Celtic are in the hunt to sign Joshua King when the summer transfer window opens.
Howe views him as their potential Odsonne Edouard successor should the Frenchman exit in the coming months.
The English boss wants King to snub the Premier League and join him in Glasgow instead. He signed for Everton in the winter window but is only on a six-month contract. That means Celtic could sign him on a free transfer in July.
King will have to take a wage cut, however, with the former Bournemouth man on £45k-per-week.
Best striker since Larsson?
King’s statistics this season make for incredibly grim reading. After being relegated to the Championship with the Cherries, the Norway international failed to score in 12 second-tier outings.
Since moving to Merseyside, he has also failed to score in the Premier League and he hasn’t been able to start a single game either.
That being said, the attacker is a player with the type of qualities that could light up the Scottish Premiership.
His record this term might be disappointing but this is a player with 48 top-flight goals to his name. Furthermore, the striker was linked with a mega-money move back to Manchester United in January 2020.
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On that evidence, he is clearly destined for greater things than Bournemouth or Everton, and Howe could hand him a get out of jail card.
King has shown regularly throughout his career that he knows where the back of the net is and if he rediscovers that side to his game, he could be their best striker since Swedish legend Henrik Larsson.
Of course, living up to a forward like that will take some doing but it’s a prophecy that former Norway international Vidar Riseth thinks he can live up to.
Speaking about the 29-year-old this week, Riseth spoke glowingly of his abilities: “Josh would be the best striker Celtic have had in the past ten years. He is strong, powerful and he can score goals — the kind of player the Celtic fans would love.”
Riseth continued; “He has all the attributes any striker needs. I have played with him and against him and I know all about his qualities. If there is a chance for Celtic to get him then they must take it because he would be an incredible signing for them.”
To suggest King could eclipse players like Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard in Glasgow says a lot but it’s definitely not out of the question.
The forward is in the prime of his career and has already troubled plenty of Premier League defenders. Possessing pace, strength and the ability to get in behind, he’d undoubtedly fit Celtic.
Howe could certainly make worse signings once he arrives at Parkhead.