Based on his form at the start of the season, shelling out a big fee for Mohamed Elyounoussi looked like a reasonable thing to do.
He was in prolific form and the opposition had to do more to keep him quiet, which opened up a lot of space elsewhere on the park for other players to exploit.
Then he got injured, and he hasn’t been able to find that form again. On top of that, the current global situation means that Celtic might have to make some cutbacks, so that could result in a smaller transfer budget in the Summer.
READ MORE: Five fringe players Celtic can manage without if funds need to be raised
HITC have reported on the latest in terms of signing Elyounoussi, who they state will cost around £10m from Southampton.
They’ve suggested Robbie Brady as an alternative who would be available on a free transfer, and it’s an interesting one to ponder.
Brady is a completely different type of player to Elyounoussi, he lacks pace and doesn’t like to cut inside – he’s all left foot but his delivery is exceptional when he gets on the ball.
He’s also dangerous from set pieces, so that could be useful, while he can also fill in at left back when required, so in theory he could replace Elyounoussi and Jonny Hayes if he leaves at the end of the season.
He’s just turned 28 so Brady should have plenty of years left, but that left footed-ness would bring something new to the side, with most players looking to cut inside rather than go outside and get a cross in.
The lack of transfer fee and Elyounoussi’s loss of form means that Brady could be seen as a tempting option, and it would be interesting to see if he would work out.
