Celtic will need to strengthen in January. They need players ready to come in and make an immediate impact. Ideally, the Hoops would sign them on a permanent basis. But it would be a mistake to overlook the loan market in the winter. There are several high-profile names struggling for playing time in their current teams and could do with temporary moves away. A £28.5 million Chelsea signing falls under that category.
Noni Madueke arrived at Chelsea amidst a lot of expectations. He had impressed at PSV Eindhoven and looked ready to take the next step in his career.
As has been the case with most of Chelsea's signings since the change in ownership, he has failed to deliver on the expectations so far. Madueke has shown flashes of real quality but needs to polish his game up a bit more if he wants to start for the Blues.
Madueke is struggling for playing time under the management of Mauricio Pochettino and could do with a loan spell away. According to stats from Transfermarkt, he has made 8 appearances and played 201 minutes of football for Chelsea this season.
Celtic must sign £28m Chelsea winger on loan in January
Chelsea will surely recognise that Madueke needs to be playing regularly at this stage of his career to continue his development. That looks unlikely to happen at Stamford Bridge right now but it might be too early to give up on him completely.
So, a loan deal might be a decent solution for everyone involved. And Celtic should try to sign Madueke on a temporary basis till the end of the season.
The Hoops certainly need more quality on the wings, with Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada spending significant time out on the sidelines. Luis Palma is the only winger available right now, who has made any impact this season.
Someone like Madueke could be an excellent addition to this Celtic team. On paper, it makes sense for all parties involved. He would get regular playing time and is someone who could help get the Hoops over the line in the league.