Celtic are in desperate need of a striker to be signed early in the January transfer window as Brendan Rodgers looks to add to his squad and also provide a much needed replacement for the like of Kyogo, Oh and Maeda who will all be away with their respective countries to participate in the Asian Cup at the start of 20224.
Many Celtic supporter will see a great opportunity here to hit the best football betting sites and get their money on Japan lifting the trophy but the downside is losing three forwards just as the Scottish Premiership gets started after the short winter break.
And the former Manchester United defender Paul Parker reckons that the Scottish Premiership isn’t as competitive as the Danish Superliga and believes that Brondby would be disappointed to lose their star striker Mathias Kvistgaarden to Celtic in the January transfer window. Money talks in football though and there’s little doubt that Celtic would be an attractive destination for the Danish striker.
“The Danish league is more competitive than the Scottish league,” Parker told Danish magazine Tipsbladet.
“I remember some quite impressive results in Europe from some Danish teams, and with the way FC Copenhagen has conducted themselves in this Champions League campaign, despite them being third in the league, that tells me the league is quite strong, keeping their budget and such things in mind.
“I’m sure that every top team in Denmark would be disappointed if their best players left their club just to go to Celtic and play in the Scottish league,” the former Manchester United defender claimed.
“The crowd in Scotland is great and you´re under a lot of pressure as a player if you play for Celtic or (the)Rangers, and the wages are higher as well.
“More than that, the Scottish league used to be a good stepping stone to the Premier League, but right now I would honestly not prefer to play in the Scottish league instead of the Danish league,” Parker added.
You will remember that Celtic had a £4.1m bid for the 21 year-old Brondby goalscorer knocked back in the summer but reports of a further attempt to sign Kvistgaarden are increasing as we close in on the opening of the January transfer window.
However Celtic is not the only side interested in the player with German Bundesliga 2 side FC Schalke 04 also quoted as being a possible buyer, with the German side having been impressed with recent scouting missions and have now made an official enquiry for the player who has scored seven times this season and has had the same number of assists, with 21 games played.
Celtic are set to start 2014 without the services of Kyogo Daizen Maeda likely to be away with Japan for the Asian Cup while Oh is set to be involved for South Korea in the same competition. A new striker is certainly a priority for the January window and one that is up to speed in terms of match fitness and form is essential.
Will Celtic meet Brondby’s asking price for Kvistgaarden or will the 21 year-old prefer second tier football in Germany? Perhaps other suitors will come forward too. Whatever happens Celtic need to get their new striker signed and in Glasgow as early as possible in January.
