Celtic’s search for new left back addition to the squad proved to be unsuccessful in the summer transfer window and is likely to be a top priority in the January transfer window.
Mark Lawwell and his recruitment team clearly don’t need any assistance from us given the excellent job that they are doing but nevertheless it’s well worth dropping in a name who might suit Celtic perfectly and we can actually all get a chance to see him for ourselves next Saturday when the Scottish Premiership resumes after the international break.
Celtic are at home to Dundee on Saturday 16 September with a 3pm kick-off and many Celtic fans are already counting down the hours for that one. Newly promoted Dundee – last season’s Championship winners – have made a decent start to the first season back in the Scottish Premiership and like Kilmarnock the year before will be aiming for survival and then look to build from there.
Dundee currently are sitting mid-table in 6th spot with five points after their opening four games and are just a point behind both Ross County and theRangers. That battle for the top six spot is already looking competitive.
The stand-out player for Dundee this season is their 21 year old left back Owen Beck who is currently on a season long loan spell from Liverpool with the Dens Park club and has been outstanding so far.
Here’s what the official Liverpool FC website says about the player:
Owen Beck arrived at the Liverpool FC Academy from Stoke City at U13 level and has gone on to represent Jürgen Klopp’s senior team.
The forward-thinking left-back broke into the U18s side in the 2019-20 season and was also a part of the Reds’ U19 UEFA Youth League squad.
12th August 2023 St Mirren Park, Scottish Premiership Football, St Mirren versus Dundee Owen Beck of Dundee challenges for the ball with Conor McMenamin of St Mirren. Photo ActionPlus David Young
Beck, a Wales youth international, signed his first professional contract with Liverpool in June 2020 and penned fresh terms in July 2021 while away with the seniors for pre-season, having enjoyed a successful campaign with the U23s in 2020-21.
He impressed for the U23s with his ability to get forward and impact play in the final third of the pitch, with highlights including a hat-trick of assists against Tottenham Hotspur at Kirkby in December and an outstanding late winner over Brighton & Hove Albion in April, a game in which he also set up two goals.
12th August 2023 St Mirren Park, Scottish Premiership Football, St Mirren versus Dundee Owen Beck of Dundee shows dejection at the end of the match Photo ActionPlus David Young
Beck made his professional debut in 2021-22 when he came off the bench during the Carabao Cup tie at Preston North End and featured versus Leicester City in the same competition as Liverpool went on to win the trophy.
The full-back initially made a loan move to Famalicao in Portugal’s top flight in the summer of 2022, before also spending time at Bolton Wanderers. His development will continue with a season-long loan at Scottish Premiership side Dundee in 2023-24.
Beck, whose great uncle is the Liverpool legend Ian Rush, is getting much needed first team experience at Dundee but even with that he might find it difficult to break into the Liverpool first team on a return to Anfield. Maybe Celtic have the chance to return the Ben Doak favour here by enticing the Welsh Under 21 international left-back to Paradise.
The last time Celtic recruited a full back from a Premier League Academy was Jeremie Frimpong and that one worked out rather well when Bayer Leverkusen came calling.
Earlier today sources at Dundee were raving about the boy Owen Beck with the expectation being that he’ll be regarded as the best left back in the Scottish premiership this year and a clear early front runner for Dundee’s Player of the Year.
So next Saturday keep your eye on the Dundee left back and see for yourselves what you think. Might be something in it, Mark, if you’re reading…
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Is Rodgers really leaving himself wide open to such criticism by not addressing the LB position?
Just can’t see that happening, moreso with all of his best defenders available within the squad, should be able to play in a 3CB option, comfortable enough imo.
Surely we can’t be thinking about a back 4 with Taylor and Bernie as options, and even scales has never looked comfortable in the position either.
Would also mean potentially that another player that offers better quality and balance to the squad, stands to miss out upon being included.
It remains as the only conclusion for ourselves leaving such a problem area untouched within the team and the current team set up.
Still believe meada or hatate could do a better job than even Taylor or Bernie could provide ourselves in a wing back role, should it be on the agenda.
Taylor could possibly do a job if we intended playing with a back 5 and a strong counter attacking game, especially away from home within the CL.
Will be interesting to see what Rodgers has in mind, but hardly confident with playing a back 4 with the options available in LB to ourselves, especially within CL standard football imo.
Surely Rodgers hasn’t left himself wide open to enormous outrage by playing a back 4 and not working out to well for ourselves?
Liam Scales proved to all his doubters with a man of the match display, on Sunday at Ibrox, that he can play in the current Celtic. He played over 130 games with UCD and Shamrock Rovers in Ireland many of which were at LB, When all the centre backs are fit Scales, for me, is the obvious choice of LB. He will bring physicality and defensive qualities that neither Taylor nor Barnabie possess. Four years older and a lot more experienced than the young Liverpool player. I will be surprised if he’s not given an opportunity at LB by the manager.
Agree with you. Scales has played only as a stopgap.Needs an extended run.
Showed on Sun his defensive capabilities. He is able to get forward as required.
Will be very useful in the away fixtures in SPL.
Hail Hail
Scales also had a very good loan at Aberdeen last season and played a big part in Aberdeen finishing third. Which was further good experience. Aberdeen were also very keen to get him in permanently.
scales is too slow at left back,which is unfortunate…hh..
I’m a Dundee supporter been at every game this season and will be at park head on the 16th. Beck has been outstanding everything he does looks effortless he’s still young and has a few things to learn but he’s a future star without a shadow of doubt. Obviously at celtic he’d have more opportunities but if he leaves Dundee in January it won’t be for celtic if anything it will be to go back to Liverpool