It’s been obvious for months that Celtic need to find a centre forward or two. There is no denying the squad is seriously depleted at that position, among others. The search for a player who can take more of the many chances created could not be more urgent.
But as Martin O’Neill has acknowledged, January can be a difficult time to make signings. And Celtic has struggled, over a couple of windows at least, to get players over the line. Although there are a few transfer rumours across several positions, they must not fail to secure a goal scorer this time around. It is critical to any chance of success this season.
The club can afford to spend big, though they rarely choose to, but that may not be the complete answer for a January move. There could be all sorts of angles and opportunities to take advantage of. One of those could lie close to home in Scotland, but with a huge world stage implication too.
With the Scotland national team off to the World Cup, there is still a chance for Scottish players to make the squad or starting lineup. A striker who hits a goal-scoring streak could catch Steve Clarke’s eye. Some may also need more game time ahead of the summer, too, if they want to be in the manager's mind.
A Celtic move could boost these strikers' Scotland World Cup hopes
Scotland needs a strong centre forward almost as badly as Celtic. So let’s take a look at three potential Scottish strikers who could boost their World Cup hopes with a move to Parkhead this January.
Mikael Mandron, St Mirren
Mikael Mandron has contributed well to the St Mirren goal tally this season. In 27 games for the Buddies, he has 11 goals and 5 assists to his name. He has played a big part in their Scottish League Cup win too, 7 goals from 8 matches there is a very respectable tally. He only missed out on a goal in the Hampden Park final win over Celtic.
Although French-born, having a grandmother from Aberdeen qualifies him for a Scotland call-up. A few years back, he did get the chance to join up with the Under-19s squad, but missed out on a cap there due to some passport technicalities at the time. He has talked previously of his regret at missing out and how much he’d love to get a second chance.
A move to Celtic, even as a squad player getting the chance to start some games or to be brought on as a sub, would surely boost his call-up chances. He isn’t necessarily a top option for the Hoops, but they may not have lots of those to select from. It may be a short-term move and view, but he’d add strength upfront right now, and may be an O’Neill type of player.
James Bowie, Hibernian
Bowie may well get his seat on the plane to the finals without a move. Young and still raw at times, he is making a name for himself at Hibernian this season. A terrific performance recently against Hearts, as Hibs beat their city rivals, kept him in the limelight.
Bowie isn’t an out-and-out goal scorer. In his 27 Hibs appearances this season he has 7 goals and 3 assists. But he is strong, holds the ball up well, and can hit the back of the net from all ranges. He would certainly get more chances at Celtic, and hopefully increase his scoring rate.
Bowie already has two Scotland gaps, but a run of goals in the latter half of the season could accelerate his chances of game time at the finals. It may also cement his place in the squad if others come into contention for a place, too. Hibs may not want to part ways with him yet, but a move at some point is inevitable. The Hoops' urgent need could perhaps outdo his current team's resolve.
James Wilson, Hearts
Perhaps more of a long shot, both for a move and for a regular Scotland place. He is only 18 and his future may lie longer term. But given the chance for a move, he may snap up an opportunity.
Wilson already has a full Scotland cap, he made his debut last March against Greece and does get called up for training squads. That’s all building good experience after working through the national youth team ranks. Over at Hearts, he has also come up through various levels and has nine appearances for them this season, with two Scottish League Cup goals.
He does have great potential but really needs more game time to help develop and grow. Could that happen at Celtic? Again, as a squad player, getting gradual exposure could bring him on well.
The bigger question though is whether title-chasing Hearts would actually sanction a move to Celtic at this point in the season. That’s perhaps unlikely, but with Lawrence Shankland holding down the main striker role there, as he too presses for his World Cup place, perhaps Wilson and his agents might be keen on a move.
None of the three are the magic answer for Celtic’s striker woes. But the answer to that issue isn’t likely to lie with a single player. Given the hamstring and injury issues this season, it would be madness to put all their eggs in one basket. The likelihood is of a combination of players brought in to play up front. Any one of the above three could play a part in such a package, even if they are not the main man leading the line.