Celtic: Hoops backed to sign Souttar

3 minute read 25/7/2021 | 12:35pm

Celtic have been urged to sign former Dundee United defender Harry Souttar… 

What’s the talk?

Celtic reporter Anthony Haggerty has urged the club to pursue a deal for Stoke central defender Harry Souttar this summer. He has said that the centre-back has “flourished” since moving down to England from Dundee United and believes that he would be a great fit in Ange Postecoglou’s team next season.         

He told This is Futbol:

“Harry Souttar would be a person of interest, especially since they know him from his time with Dundee United.

“He’s gone down south and flourished. If I’m doing my scouting right, Harry Souttar’s on the list. We need defenders and you can scout Europe, Far East Asian markets and Australian markets, but you have to know what’s under your nose.

“I think Harry Souttar could be a fit for Celtic.”

Forget Ajer

Kristoffer Ajer joined Premier League side Brentford earlier this week on a five-year deal and it is now time for Celtic fans to forget about him and start thinking about the player who could be bossing their defence next season. That player could be Souttar if the Hoops are able to prize him away from Championship side Stoke in the coming weeks left of the transfer window.

Postecoglou must ensure that Celtic are looking at the 22-year-old as a target as he could be a fantastic addition to the squad and help improve the defence. The defender enjoyed a sublime 2020/21 campaign with the Potters, averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.07 across 38 starts.

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Guess the shirt numbers from Celtic’s famous 2002/03 UEFA Cup side. Let’s start with Mohammed Sylla…

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What makes his statistics all the more impressive is the fact that Stoke finished 14th in the Championship, which means that he was able to consistently produce top-drawer displays despite his team as a whole underperforming and being nowhere near the promotion race. He was able to stand out ahead of his teammates, showing off his quality as a defender.

The £5.2k-per-week powerhouse won an eye-catching 5.4 aerial battles per game last season, more than the 3.2 Ajer won. Souttar also made more clearances and blocks per game than the Norweigan, whilst their tackle and interception numbers were very similar. This suggests that he could be an apt replacement for the defender and that is why Celtic must pursue a deal for him to bolster their squad ahead of next season in order to give themselves the best chance of competing with Rangers for the title.

AND in other news, Frimpong 2.0: Celtic lodge bid for “instrumental” £3m beast, Ange would love him…