According to Portuguese publication A Bola, Celtic has apparently reached out to Rio Ave of Portugal in an attempt to sign Demir Tiknaz. Although the 20-year-old defensive midfielder is presently playing for the Turkish national team, Brendan Rodgers has made him a target for the summer.
Rio Ave is anticipated to activate a €5 million buyout option for the player, who has spent the season on loan from Besiktas. They will then evaluate offers of €10 million to sell him. Similar to what Oostende did with Jack Hendry a few years prior, when they purchased his loan clause and sold him to Club Brugge that same summer for a hefty sum.
Standing at 6ft 4, Tiknaz brings a physical presence that’s been largely absent in the current Celtic midfield setup
The club captain, Callum McGregor, has shouldered much of the responsibility in the holding role, regularly tasked with anchoring play and driving the team forward. With a demanding fixture list across league, domestic cups, and Europe, the need to manage minutes and avoid burnout is becoming increasingly apparent.
McGregor, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo, and Luke McCowan are Celtic’s current midfield options. Only McGregor, though, is ideally suited to sitting deep and setting the pace from the midfield basis of that bunch. Tiknaz’s possible arrival may be a blatant sign that Rodgers wants to strengthen his position, since he can also play as a centre mid in front of Cal Mac.
In the past, Rodgers has made a strong case for the value of rotation, particularly when balancing several tournaments. A more sustainable midfield strategy would be possible with the addition of a player like Tiknaz, as McGregor, despite his exceptional consistency, has frequently been misused.
Although it is still early and no formal bid has been submitted, the action shows intent. In preparation for another challenging season, Celtic wants to strengthen a crucial section of the field and make sure they aren’t unduly dependent on McGregor’s unending energy.
