Is Kuhn the right profile of player for Celtic?
Celtic’s last transfer window was regarded by many supporters as a tale of poor decision making and recruitment.
Players such as Yang and Lagerbielke were signed off as suitable transfers by the club’s recruitment team, when both players profiles indicated that they were not suitable fits for the club, nor of the quality needed to play for Celtic. Lagerbielke was brought in as a player with poor short passing ability to replace the outgoing Carl Starfelt, which lacks any logical sense.
Yang’s profile indicated that he would not have the quality to play for the club, using data from Sellik Stats, the Korean scoring 56% for attempted dribbles and 47% for successful dribbles when compared to others in the K League, two key statistics for a winger.
With the club now in talks with Rapid Vienna over the signing of winger Nicholas Kuhn, is he the right profile of player Celtic should be looking at?
Once again using data from Sellik Stats, Kuhn’s profile is much more promising than Yang or Lagerbielke.
When compared to others in the Austrian Bundesliga, the 24-year-old ranks in the 94th percentile in successful attacking actions, crosses attempted, dribbles attempted and accelerations.
📊 Player Report 🇩🇪 Nicolas Kühn
🔘 Highly creative
🔘 Speed + dribbling
🔘 Two footed pic.twitter.com/CRuVZGeKDz— Sellik Stats (@SellikStats) January 10, 2024
Kuhn also ranks in the 97th percentile in progressive runs and key passes, while also scoring in the 91st percentile in xA (expected assists).
His strengths lie in his pace and ball carrying ability, while also possessing creativity in the final third. Kuhn ranks lowest in his goal conversion and shots attempted in his attacking statistics, indicating his finishing is one of the main weaknesses in his game.
At 24-years of-age, the former Germany u20 international is entering into his prime years as a footballer, and his player profile is promising.
According to Football Scotland, £2 million is the starting point in terms of a deal for the winger, which stands as a nominal fee for a player of his quality.
James French
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I thought Brendan Rodgers was set on bringing in a couple of players of proven quality and ability. Kuhn looks like a decent enough player, but he hasn’t exactly set the heather on fire with past or present clubs. In terms of football transfer fees, the price to buy Kuhn equates to 10 bob and a pickled egg. He might be great, but Rodgers needs to follow this signing with at least a couple of standout buys of quality. Otherwise, it’s Lawwell business as usual.