Celtic have already signed quite a few players this summer and are expected to add several more, as they reshape their squad in order to fit Brendan Rodgers’ vision and plans. One position that has been a bit of a worry for them is centre-back. They leaked goals at the end of last season and saw Yokohama F. Marinos score six past them in this pre-season.
Without Cameron Carter-Vickers, who is recovering after undergoing surgery, they simply do not look like the same side. And nobody has stepped up in the American’s absence.
Carl Starfelt has not managed to excel in a leadership role at the back. There are already question marks about Yuki Kobayashi’s future at the club. And Stephen Welsh is expected to leave this summer.
Thus, Celtic could certainly do with another centre-back this summer. Interestingly, it looks like they are closing in on a move for Maik Nawrocki of Legia Warsaw.
€6 million player in Glasgow to undergo Celtic medical
As reported by Legionisci, Nawrocki was not included in the match squad for the match against LKS Lodz. The young defender flew to Scotland in the morning. After passing the medical tests, he will become a Celtic player. The fee of the transfer is set to be between €5 million and €6 million.
Nawrocki is a very highly rated Polish centre-back, who is coming off of an impressive season with Legia Warsaw. The last time Celtic signed a player from there, it was Josip Juranovic, and he turned out to be pretty good.
Nawrocki could certainly be someone who comes in and challenges for a place in the starting XI, something that nobody has been really able to do over the past couple of seasons. Starfelt and Carter-Vickers have been the established duo in the heart of defence. Could that change in the 2023/24 campaign?