Celtic’s Link To Barca Winger Seems Real. But Do We Really Need This Guy?

Reports from Sky and elsewhere today say that they can confirm that Celtic have made an offer for the Barcelona winger Alex Collado. This is on the same day that rumours continue to link us with the Marseille striker Bamba Dieng, which some sources have denied.

Collado has a year left on his deal. But there are reports that Barcelona have offered him a one-year extension whilst Xavi evaluates him for the first team. The player is said to be unconvinced, but there is a Hell of a lot going on at Barcelona right now and this story will probably run up until the window closes. Their club is an absolute mess.

If the signing ban which the league has imposed on them stays in place he’ll be a part of their first team squad and that might make the decision easy for him. If they are allowed to sign players – and they are pulling out all the stops – he’ll probably go.

There’s also some uncertainty over what kind of deal Celtic want for him. If he’s got a year to go on his Barcelona deal we want him on a permanent transfer, and would have to pay them some sort of fee. It won’t be a big one. If he signs a one year extension we can bring him in on loan. But that’s where the tough questions come in.

How much are we going to learn bringing this guy to Celtic on a one year loan? We are well covered out wide, and I don’t know that changes all that much even if Mikey Johnston heads off for his own loan deal. I’m sure he’s a good player … but so are Abada, Maeda and Jota and all three of them are major assets to the squad who won’t be shifted easily.

I just wonder if there aren’t other areas of the team which need the love.

I still think the ball-winning midfielder should be a priority, and it’s been long rumoured that the club wants another striker. Players will have to leave first, but I actually think we’ll find a club for Ajeti, even if he only goes out on loan.

Obviously, it’s great seeing us linked to players and the manager’s judgement will be trusted come what may … but we have one Hell of a team middle to front already and although making it stronger is obviously exciting, it does also create issues over how we can keep everybody satisfied if certain players are going to spend a lot of time on the bench.

There are three weeks of the window left … we’ll see what happens. But don’t be surprised if this is actually just talk and the manager has other plans, for other areas of the team.