If you haven’t heard the name Gustavo Hamer before you’ll be sure to hearing it a lot more in the coming weeks.
The Brazilian born – with Dutch Citizenship – deep lying midfielder is currently earning rave reviews in the English Championship with Coventry City, and with his contract due to reach its final year in the summer, there is interest being shown in Hamer from Celtic as well as Brentford, Norwich, Leeds United and theRangers. That’s according to sources via Football League World.
Hamer has appeared 73 times for Coventry City having joined in 2020 after previously playing in Holland with both Feyenoord and PEC Zwolle and has been capped up to Under 20 level with the Netherlands.
This season the 24-year-old has played a big role in Coventry City’s push for a play-off spot in the Championship, where they currently lie three points off six placed Luton Town and Hamer has contributed two goals and six assists from his 27 league appearances this season as well as eleven yellow cards, indicative of his tough tackling style of play. He also picked up the Sky Blues goal of the season award last year with this superbly improvised header…
Although City have been keen to tie the midfielder down to a new contract nothing has been agreed and Celtic are reported to be one of the clubs keeping a close eye on the situation.
The player is currently valued at £2.25m by Transfermrkt, however that value seems a touch on the low side and given the interest and a figure of nearer £4m may be closer to the true market value for the player.
At 24 years old and with a contract running down Gustavo Hamer certainly fits the age profile and value Celtic like to target in the English market and has attributes in terms of a good range of passing, and a tenaciousness in the tackle that will also appeal to Ange Postecoglou, and perhaps add that missing combativeness Celtic currently lack in central midfield.
There is certainly tough competition for Gustavo Hamer’s signature, however it’s reassuring company to keep, with Brentford in particular very thorough in their statistical analysis and scouting of their transfer targets.
With nothing likely to happen until the summer it may well be a bit of a wait to see if Celtic’s interest comes to fruition but Hamer certainly seems a player of interest to Celtic and one worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks.
Niall J
