The news this morning that Celtic may be interested in bringing the Brazilian winger Tete to the club from Shakhtar Donetsk is only really news to those who aren’t tracking every rumour in Celtic cyberspace. That story has been doing the rounds for weeks; as per usual, the hacks are late to a party which has already been in full swing for a while.
There are various reasons why this one feels real, not least of which is that the circumstances of the Ukraine-Russian war have made it difficult for his club to hang onto him and ask for the kind of transfer fee he might otherwise have commanded.
There is Brendan Rodgers’ obvious liking for the player; he signed him for Leicester on loan last year. There is our need to replace Jota with a footballer with the ability to get the crowd on its feet. At 23, he fits into our age group and signing profile.
This one feels right, and it ticks so many boxes. I am certain that Celtic will be properly interested and that we will have already reached out.
There would be obstacles to overcome for sure; this guy will have serious interest from around Europe. But we can point now to some big developments at the club, with Rodgers in charge, big signings said to be on the way, Champions League football guaranteed … and a clear path to later riches.
We just sold a player for £25 million, and he will be earning £200,000 per week tax free. That’s the pathway we can provide now for future signings.
All talk that going to Scotland will hold back his career is for the birds. We’re a talent factory and it has a nice habit of turning out players who are near to being the finished article.
So this one could happen alright, and I would imagine that Brendan has green lit it already. Tete was not a success in England, but then there is a difference between a team doing all it can to stay in the league and one that is going all out to win one … and in that difference is where this guy might prove to be the signing of the summer window.
Go get him, Celtic. This is the sort of deal we’ve been waiting for.