Emilio Izaguirre, a former Celtics hero, has disclosed that he spoke with Michael Nicholson and instructed him to sign two players who he thinks have the potential to play for the team.
The legendary full-back said that he gave the Celtic CEO some recruiting advice after playing in the Celtic vs. Liverpool Legends game in the summer. The full-back was a member of Brendan Rodgers’ first team during the Irishman’s first stint at the club.
Izaguirre said [La Presna], “I was playing in a legends match between Celtic and Liverpool. I met Michael (the club’s director) and recommended Palma and other players like Elis or Lozano.
“I spoke well of Lis, I told him that they would look at him, that he was a player who could be of great benefit to the club.
“He’s a young 22-year-old player who can have a great season and then sell him.”
Anthony ‘Choco’ Lozano as a Celtic striker?
The Honduran is a striker for the national team who has scored nine goals in 40 appearances. Despite having a great deal of experience, Lozano, who is thirty, doesn’t exactly fit with Celtic’s transfer policy.
But in 332 games, he has accumulated 62 goals and 27 assists. which, considering that the player has played his entire career in Spain, is not a bad return. He is a La Liga player currently with Getafe. [Market Transfer]
The Barcelona B player, a former trialist for Tottenham, has never received a domestic award in his career, but he has scored goals against teams like Real Madrid and in Honduras’ most recent international match against Cuba, where Luis Palma provided the assist.
For me, this one is a no-go. Despite being versatile and being used as either an attacking midfielder, winger and a striker, Lozano’s goal and assists return is not good enough to justify spending money on a player at the tail end of his career.
Could Albeth Elis challenge Kyogo Furuhashi at Celtic?
Compared to Choco Lozano, the 60-cap Honduran international appears to be a better option. Elis is currently on loan at Brest in France, where he has made seven appearances and scored two goals.
Elis is a flexible striker who can operate as a lone striker or on the wings. Could the 27-year-old provide Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi with some good competition given that Celtic needs cover in both areas?
Elis has made 213 career appearances, generating 27 assists and scoring 59 goals. He is also just entering his prime years, so this is a far better return.
Elis is an accomplished silverware winner, unlike Lozano. In addition, he won the Honduran Cup in 2016 with CD Olimpia and the US Open Cup in 2018 with Houston Dynamo. [Market Transfer]
His talent as a forward is evident as he was also named the CONCACAF Champions League Best Young Player in 2016. [FURNITURE]
Considering Izaguirre recommended Luis Palma, Celtic should sit up and take notice of this from their former full-back but will Rodgers take these up? January is only just around the corner.
In other news, ‘I can’t believe’: Peter Grant says VAR made a serious mistake in Celtic’s win over Ross County
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