Celtic are reportedly closing in on making their first addition to their ranks on the flanks with the signing of Belgian star Michel-Ange Balikwisha this week.
Sky Sports reports that a fee of £5m has been agreed between the two clubs and that a medical will take place later this week before the move is rubber-stamped and made official.
Brendan Rodgers made it clear earlier this month that he wants the board to bolster his attack with more signings before the window slams shut at the start of next month.
The Hoops boss said: “The squad will hopefully look again different come the end of the window. I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”
Nicolas Kuhn left to join Como earlier this summer and Jota is due to be out until the turn of the year with an ACL injury, though, which means that Celtic may need more signings than just Balikwisha.
One other option they have been linked with in the attacking midfield positions is Go Ahead Eagles forward Jakob Breum, who could bolster their options out wide.
What Jakob Breum could bring to Celtic
The Denmark U21 international would be an interesting signing for the Hoops, if they are still keen on him, because he is not a typical out-and-out wide player.
Per Transfermarkt, 23 of his 29 starts in the 2024/25 campaign came as an attacking midfielder, with the other six on the left wing. This suggests that his best role in a Rodgers system may be as one of the central midfielders ahead of Callum McGregor, rather than as an out-and-out winger.
Benjamin Nygren, for example, played wide and centrally during his time in Denmark, but has mainly operated as a central midfielder, tasked with scoring and creating goals in central areas, since his move to Parkhead.
Therefore, Breum could arrive at Parkhead as a player who is more likely to impact games as one of the three in midfield than as an out-and-out winger as a replacement for Daizen Maeda, James Forrest, or Hyun-jun Yang.
Appearances
26
xG
6.27
Goals
10
Big chances created
6
Key passes per game
1.6
Assists
5
As you can see in the table above, the Danish attacker performed well as a number ten for Go Ahead Eagles as an efficient finisher who also offered decent creativity at times.
However, Celtic seem to need more of an out-and-out right winger, with Balikwisha coming in on the left, than a number ten option to play over Reo Hatate or Nygren.
It should not be a surprise, therefore, to learn that the Scottish Premiership giants are reportedly looking to bring a natural right winger to the club.
Celtic set to bid for Dutch star
According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Celtic are preparing to submit an offer to sign Feyenoord forward Calvin Stengs before the end of the summer transfer window.
Speaking on Football Insider’s podcast, the reporter said: “Stengs is a player that has emerged on Celtic’s radar – he had a difficult season for Feyenoord, a few injury problems, so that may be a concern for Celtic. He’s into the final two years of his contract with Feyenoord, so could be available for a cut-price fee this summer.
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“Celtic are looking at that, seeing there could be real potential to land a former Dutch international for a relatively small fee with a bid imminent.”
O’Rourke has not revealed how much it would take to snap the Feyenoord star up, but it was reported earlier this month that a fee of around £5m could be enough to get a deal done.
It now remains to be seen whether or not this “imminent” bid from the Hoops will be enough to convince the Dutch side to part ways with the left-footed star before the deadline.
Why Celtic should sign Calvin Stengs
The Premiership champions should do everything in their power to ensure that their bid is enough to secure a deal for Stengs because he could be a much-needed addition to the team.
As aforementioned, Celtic do not need a player of Breum’s profile as much as they need a right winger, due to the current make-up of the squad, which is why the Feyenoord ace could be an even better signing for the Hoops this summer.
The 26-year-old dynamo, who scored against Celtic in the Champions League in 2023, could come in as the best option on the right flank ahead of Forrest and Yang, whilst Breum would just be one of a number of decent options in the attacking midfield roles.
Stengs missed 35 games through injury in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, which meant that he was unable to showcase the best of his abilities at the top end of the park last season.
However, the right-sided attacker’s form in the Eredivisie during the 2023/24 campaign, when he was fit for the majority of the season, suggests that he has the quality to be a terrific signing for Celtic.
Appearances
29
xG
5.22
Goals
6
Big chances created
13
xA
8.59
Key passes per game
2.5
Assists
12
As you can see in the table above, Stengs was directly involved in 18 goals, more than Breum’s 15 in the Eredivisie last term, in 29 games for Feyenoord.
The Netherlands international, who was described as a “flamboyant” winger by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a winger who can provide a huge threat as a creator whilst also finishing chances at an efficient rate.
Yang and Forrest have scored six goals between them in the Premiership since the start of last season, which speaks to their lack of output in the final third, and that is why it is important for the Hoops to bring in a right-sided attacker before the window closes.
Stengs appears to be a player who suits what Celtic need, positionally and quality-wise, and could be a much better signing than Breum, due to his superior numbers in the Eredivisie and his better fit within the current squad.
