All roads lead to Munich. Scottish champions Celtic stepped up their preparations for Tuesday’s second-leg Champions League tussle after comfortably seeing off Dundee United to maintain their imperious pursuit of the title.
The Hoops momentarily moved to 16 points clear at the Premiership summit following that 3-0 triumph at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon, with Brendan Rodgers successfully rotating his charges ahead of his side’s mammoth midweek encounter.
One notable alteration saw January arrival, Jota, make just his second start for the Old Firm side since returning to Glasgow, with the Portuguese wizard picking up where he left off 18 months ago, after netting a dazzling, curling effort to put the hosts firmly in control.
The sight of the 25-year-old cutting in onto his lethal right foot before bending the ball into the far corner truly was a joy to behold, with the returning hero certainly providing his manager with a selection headache, amid the ‘need’ to fit Jota into the side, alongside fellow widemen Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn.
Perhaps, however, that mouthwatering competition will be somewhat halted over the summer, amid reports that the talismanic Kuhn continues to attract attention from south of the border…
The latest on Nicolas Kuhn’s Celtic future
Signed from Rapid Vienna on a £3m deal back in January 2024, the German sensation has shaken off a quiet start to life in Scottish football to emerge as a real force on the flanks so far this term.
In all, the fleet-footed winger boasts 17 goals and 12 assists in all competitions in 2024/25 to date, having been denied a 30th goal contribution of the season after seeing his rapid opener denied by the offside flag against Bayern Munich.
Unsurprisingly, such standout performances – which include his brace against another Bundesliga side, RB Leipzig – have not gone unnoticed, with the latest reports indicating that he is earning admiring glances from clubs in the Premier League.
As reported earlier this week, Carabao Cup finalists Newcastle United are seemingly ready to rival Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion for the 25-year-old’s signature at the end of the season.
The belief is that should a bid arrive in the region of £26m, the Hoops would reluctantly cash in on their shining star, having already seen Matt O’Riley move on for a similar fee last summer.
Recouping such a hefty price tag would, no doubt, allow Rodgers to adequately reinvest to fill Kuhn’s potential void, yet perhaps the Northern Irishman already has a dream replacement waiting in the wings.
Celtic already have the perfect Kuhn successor
As he showcased in Saturday’s victory, Jota, it must be said, is at his brilliant best when operating from the left flank, with it unlikely to be the most profitable solution if he is shifted over to the opposite side, in the wake of a possible Kuhn departure.
With Maeda – who has scored 22 goals this term – also a real terror off the left, or even through the middle, Rodgers may have to look elsewhere to find an answer on the right.
There is Yang Hyun-jun, of course, and while the South Korean starlet has shown flashes in recent weeks, after notably assisting Maeda against Bayern off the bench, the jury is out on whether he is truly up to the task. Just three goals and eight assists in 54 games for the club to date perhaps suggests otherwise.
With that in mind, could there be a world in which summer signing, Luke McCowan, is afforded the chance to make that right-wing berth his own? The Scotsman has typically operated as part of the midfield three during his time at Celtic Park, although has regularly lined up on the right flank in his career to date.
Possessing a wand of a left, akin to that of Kuhn, the former Dundee man has the technical talents to be able to slot in comfortably in that role, having been hailed as a “joy to watch” by writer Ryan McGinlay last time out.
Also described as “the missing link” in the side by McGinlay, the 27-year-old – who signed for a bargain £1m fee – regularly operates in a right-sided attacking midfield role anyway, with it not too much of a stretch to see him pushed out wider in the near future.
As he showcased against the Tangerines, McCowan is a real creative outlet when given the chance to impress, having racked up three key passes on Saturday – a return only bettered by Jota (four).
Six goals and four assists in 27 games for his new club may not appear too eye-catching, although considering that has come amid just 11 starts is impressive indeed, illustrating his ability to make an impact whenever called upon.
Having been likened to a certain Ryan Christie – who operated centrally or on the flanks for the Hoops – in the past by pundit Andy Walker, it certainly bodes well for the success that the versatile McCowan can enjoy in the years to come.
