Scottish clubs have an advantage in the transfer market where they can offer pre contract agreements to players based in England as they enter the last six months of their deal.
That gives them a few months head-start on English sides who are looking to move for the same players, so it should be a market that gets exploited more and more when finances are tight and Brexit regulations will restrict signings from overseas.
QPR winger Bright Osayi-Samuel has been linked with Celtic for a few months now, and a report from Football Insider has confirmed that there’s still no sign of a new contract being signed.
That means Celtic could agree to sign him on a free transfer next summer if they can reach an agreement over personal terms with the player from January.
They also spoke to Celtic great Frank McAvennie about the winger’s situation, and he feels it’s a position of need and Celtic should move in January to get him signed up:
“Celtic’s reliance on Forrest has been highlighted while he has been out injured. Elyounoussi is hot and cold, a wonderful talent but it is not enough – one good game, three bad. To play at Celtic you need to be on that level constantly.”
“I would go for Bright Osayi-Samuel if we can get him. There is no point in bringing people in to make up the numbers.”
“Whoever has been doing the recruitment at Celtic, it has been awful. Really awful. I do not know who is watching the players, picking the players but it has been awful.”
Moving for Osayi-Samuel would be an interesting one because he has bags of pace and talent to make a difference, but he’s also a player who can blow hot and cold throughout the season.
He can play on either flank and his pace would make him especially useful in Europe when the counter attacking game is more prevalent, but it’s hard to say if he would make a decisive difference in every single game.
Celtic would also need to agree a fee with QPR if they wanted to bring him to Glasgow in January, but at least he looks like he could add some attacking spark to the current team.
