Rodgers accomplish his dream A PL giant moves for Carter-Vickers’ heir from Celtic#

There is approximately one week remaining for Celtic to finalise any additional transactions in the market before the January transfer window closes in preparation for the campaign’s last few months.

Between now and May, Brendan Rodgers’ team will compete for both the Scottish FA Cup and the Scottish Premiership title. The team has already added one new player to bolster the roster.

 

After joining from Rapid Wien earlier this month on a five-and-a-half-year contract, winger Nicolas Kuhn was not available for selection for Sunday’s 5-0 victory over Buckie Thistle.

To increase his options all over the field, Rodgers is reportedly looking to bolster his squad with a goalkeeper, a left-back, and a center-forward, according to Football Insider. Whether or not all of those positions will be filled this month is still up in the air.

Interest in Celtic star

The Scottish powerhouses aim to strengthen their team, but they also have to contend with clubs in England and Europe showing interest in their current players.

Football Insider recently reported that the Hoops are ready to reject any offers made this month for star central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Although the Scottish heavyweights want to bolster their squad, they also need to deal with clubs in England and Europe expressing interest in their players.

The Hoops are prepared to turn down any offers made this month for standout central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

Earlier this month, SBI Soccer reported that several Premier League clubs are showing interest in signing the impressive defender in order to bolster their respective backlines.

Brentford, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham United are rumoured to be interested in making a move for the Bhoys giant, but it is unclear how much they are willing to pay for him.

If Carter-Vickers leaves at the end of the season, Rodgers could sign Scott McKenna, a reported transfer target, and have a dream replacement.

Before the deadline, Celtic and Rangers were reportedly interested in signing the Scotland international from Nottingham Forest, according to a report from Sky Sports at the beginning of January.

The tall central defender hasn’t proven to be a regular for the Premier League team this year, so the report suggested that he might be allowed to leave.

According to a report from Sky Sports at the beginning of January, Celtic and Rangers were reportedly interested in signing the Scotland international from Nottingham Forest before the deadline.

The story implied that the tall central defender might be permitted to depart because he hasn’t shown himself to be a consistent member of the Premier League squad this season.

The stats that show why Carter-Vickers is important to Celtic

Carter-Vickers was a former Spurs prodigy who showed his quality both in and out of possession for the club since his first loan move in 2021, so losing him would be a major setback for Celtic.

Under Ange Postecoglou, the 26-year-old titan made a lot of waves in Scotland during the 2021–2022 season with a series of outstanding backfield performances.

The USA international was effective and efficient both on and off the ball as Celtic won the championship and shut out the opposition in just over half of his top-flight appearances, as the table above illustrates.

In 29 Premiership games the following season, he recorded 13 clean sheets as Postecoglou’s team won the championship once more.

The tall defender proved that his defensive and offensive contributions in his rookie season were not a one-time event by winning 69% of his individual duels and completing 92% of his attempted passes in the league.

Carter-Vickers has made 13 appearances in the top division this season and has once again dominated opposing attackers with a 92% pass accuracy and an amazing 71% duel success rate.

These statistics show that the £20m-rated giant has consistently been a reliable centre-back with his passing out from the back, as he has rarely given possession away, and his dominant defending in 50/50 contests.

The stats that show why McKenna could replace Carter-Vickers

By acquiring McKenna, Rodgers may now have their ideal replacement for Carter-Vickers. The American defender may take five months to get used to life at Parkhead before he is potentially traded to a Premier League team in the summer, although a number of teams are interested in buying him.

Before moving south to Forest in the summer of 2020, the 27-year-old monster made 82 Premiership appearances for Aberdeen, so he is familiar with the division and what it takes to compete at that level.

 

This means that it could be easier for the Scottish ace to adapt to life in Glasgow than it would be for a centre-back coming in with no prior experience of playing in the country.

In terms of what he offers on the pitch, McKenna could also be a fantastic replacement for Carter-Vickers due to his dominant defensive presence.

Fascinatingly, back in the 2020–21 Championship season, when the USA international was on loan at Bournemouth, FBref identified the current Celtic star as the player who most resembled the Forest star.

Throughout that season, McKenna made 24 appearances in the division and stood out with a 69% duel success rate, while Carter-Vickers prevailed in 60% of his matchups with the Cherries.

Since the team’s 2022 promotion to the Premier League, the 27-year-old Forest enforcer—who was called “incredible” by journalist Callum Castel last season—has continued to produce a dominant defensive game in the league.

In 20 league games, he helped his team keep five clean sheets and won 61% of his games, helping them avoid relegation at the first attempt.

Despite having less playing time this season, McKenna has managed to make an impression. In his five Premier League games this season, the Celtic target has won an incredible 79% of his duels and averaged 5.0 ball recoveries and 5.0 clearances per game.

Thus, before the 2023–2024 season, the 6’2” giant might be Carter–Vickers’ ideal replacement. The American prospect has been an effective enforcer at the back for Rodgers for the last two and a half years because he is already familiar with Scottish football and possesses the necessary physical and defensive qualities.