Ange Postecoglou has been sat in the Celtic hot seat for over a week now but they’re yet to invest in any senior options for the first team.
The Bhoys have welcomed Liam Shaw to the club but at the age of just 20, he is one for the future, as opposed to somebody who can come in and make an instant impact.
What’s the word?
One of Celtic’s biggest priorities this summer has to be in defence.
Kristoffer Ajer has caught the eye of clubs in the Premier League and in the Bundesliga while Shane Duffy, Diego Laxalt and Jonjoe Kenny have all headed back to their parent clubs.
Christopher Jullien is also out injured for a considerable period of time. Fortunately, Postecoglou and Dominic McKay have set their sights on improving the backline.
According to an exclusive report from Celtic Now and Forever, the Hoops have made an enquiry to sign Riccieli, a centre-back currently plying his trade for Famalicao in Portugal.
Celtic have sent scouts to watch him in action and they have been left impressed enough to open talks with the player’s agent and his club over a possible deal.
An upgrade
With Ajer set to leave Paradise behind this summer, it is of utmost importance that Celtic sign a new central defender.
Riccieli might be unknown to a British audience but he’d be a welcome addition at the heart of the defence.
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For starters, the 22-year-old is a ball-playing centre-half, something that immediately lends itself to Celtic’s and Postecoglou’s style of play.
The youngster completed 87.1% of his passes last term, a number that usurps every central defender at Celtic barring Ajer.
His 2.1 aerial duels won per match also indicate that he’s a threat in the air, something that Celtic will evidently need if the tall figure of their Norwegian defender leaves them behind this summer.
On top of that, he makes 1.6 interceptions an outing. A wonderful reader of the game, Riccieli’s numbers in that department are higher than any other player in the Hoops squad last term.
As for his 1.3 tackles a match, those replicate Ajer’s numbers and top every centre half in Postecoglou’s squad.
Crucially, he also possesses the mentality to thrive at the top of the game. After signing a new contract last November Famalicao president Miguel Ribeiro, said he was a player of "quality, work capacity and a remarkable competitive spirit.”
On top of that, he revealed that Riccieli was one of the team’s captains, leading from the front and proving to be an example for others. If Celtic want to replace Ajer adequately, that attribute will be imperative.