A striker is the big priority for Celtic this summer.
Brendan Rodgers has three at his disposal already in Adam Idah, Johnny Kenny and Callum Osmand, but a fourth name seems like he is on his way.
Shin Yamada is expected to join and become signing number seven of the season, however, it doesn’t seem like fans are enamoured by Yamada’s signing.
Other big names along the lines of Evan Ferguson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have also been mentioned, but the Celtic manager should be digging back into his archives to sign a player he wanted at Liverpool in 2015.
Shin Yamada of Kawasaki Frontale on the ball during a J League fixture
Photo by Masashi Hara/Getty Images
Celtic should try and sign Chuba Akpom
Chuba Akpom was linked with Celtic in 2017 while he was still a youngster at Arsenal.
Although it never worked out for him, spells in Greece and Middlesbrough put his name on the map and earned himself a move to Ajax in 2023.
Despite playing regularly, Akpom has been told that he can leave the Dutch giants this summer and is one of seven players training away from the first team after being ostracised.
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Akpom’s proven experience in some of Europe’s top leagues would be valuable to the Hoops, as well as bolstering their ranks for the upcoming Champions League qualifiers in August.
Celtic’s record signing is the £11m paid for Arne Engels in August 2024 and it would more than likely take a fee in that region – maybe even eclipsing the sum they parted with a year ago to secure his services.
Brendan Rodgers wanted to sign Chuba Akpom as Liverpool manager
Rodgers is known for linking up with players he has worked with previously or admired as long-term targets.
You only have to look at a player such as Scott Sinclair as an example of how this works.
The Hoops boss knows Akpom well from his time in charge of Liverpool when, back in 2015, he tried to poach him from Arsenal.
Chuba Akpom in action for Ajax during an Eredivisie match against Heerenveen
Photo by ANP via Getty Images
At the time the forward only had six months left on his contract but in the end failed in his mission after he signed a new three-year deal at the Emirates Stadium.