Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been crystal clear on his desire for the club to bring in reinforcements at the top end of the pitch before the end of the summer transfer window.
Speaking earlier this month, the Hoops head coach 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.”
There is still just over a week left to go before the summer transfer window slams shut, which means that there is still time for the board to get Rodgers the player he wants to improve the team.
The former Liverpool boss handed opportunities to some of his new signings, including Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, in the 3-0 win over Livingston in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.
And it was one of the club’s summer signings who caught the eye with a brilliant performance for the Scottish giants, as Benjamin Nygren excelled.
What Benjamin Nygren offers for Celtic
The Sweden international showcased his versatility against Livingston by playing out on the right wing after featuring in central midfield in his first few outings for the Hoops.
Nygren, who was signed from Nordsjaelland in the summer, offers Rodgers the flexibility to move him between roles in-game and from game-to-game when needed, which is a useful asset to have within a squad when facing injuries or in-game situations.
The left-footed whiz also offers quality in front of goal. A return of 16 goals in 32 games for his former club last season suggested that he would provide a threat in the final third for Celtic, but you can never be too sure about how a player will adapt to Scottish football.
After an underwhelming debut against St Mirren, as he got his feet under the table at Parkhead, Nygren impresed with a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Aberdeen in his second appearance.
Minutes
90
Sofascore rating
9.9
Shots
5
Goals
2
Key passes
3
Big chances created
1
Dribbles completed
2/5
Long passes completed
5/5
As you can see in the table above, the Celtic star was immense against Livingston in his latest outing, on the right wing, with two goals in the 3-0 win, including one thumping finish into the top corner with his ‘weak’ foot.
It is fair to say, with three goals and one assist in three league games, that Nygren has hit the ground running as an impressive offensive force for Rodgers.
Now, Celtic could find another forward who has the ability to hit the ground running at Parkhead as they reportedly close in on another attacking signing.
Celtic closing in on deal for new winger
According to journalist Sacha Tavolieiri, Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha has decided to sign for Celtic before the end of the summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that the Hoops have reached an agreement on personal terms with the Belgian forward, who is now set to complete a move to Scotland in the coming days.
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Tavolieri claims that Balikwisha had a meeting with Celtic officials this week and was convinced by the project that was laid out to him, which has led to his decision to make the move to Parkhead.
This comes after The Celtic Way recently reported that the Premiership champions had agreed a £4.5m deal with Royal Antwerp to sign the Belgian forward to bolster the squad.
The last hurdle to clear before a transfer could be completed after agreeing a fee was to convince the player to make the switch, and it appears as though the Hoops have cleared it.
Why Balikwisha could be a Nygren repeat
At the age of 24, Balikwisha is set to arrive in Glasgow as he heads into the prime years of his career as a winger. He is not a young and inexperienced forward who needs time to develop, and he is not a veteran whose best days are past him.
This means that the 24-year-old star could come in to hit the ground running as an immediate starter and star-quality operator out wide for Rodgers, much like Nygren has.
The versatile attacker, who can play on either flank or in central midfield, has scored one goal and created four chances in four games in the Pro League so far this season, per Sofascore.
This comes after an injury-disrupted 2024/25 campaign led to him registering four goals and three assists in 16 outings in the top-flight last term, which shows that he can provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
That is further backed up by his performances in the Pro League for Royal Antwerp in the 2023/24 campaign when he was fit for the majority of the campaign.
Starts
27
xG
6.46
Goals
7
Big chances created
6
Key passes per game
1.5
Assists
5
As you can see in the table above, the £4.5m-rated star caught the eye with his contributions as both a scorer and a creator, outperforming his xG and averaging 1.5 chances created per game.
Balikwisha, who was described as a “creative” talent by analyst Will Glavin, is a direct winger who wants to make things happen at the top end of the pitch, by taking shots and playing passes and crosses into the final third to create chances for his teammates.
He could get supporters off their seats and excited by his play at the top end of the pitch, with his form in the Pro League suggesting that he has the potential to be a Nygren repeat for Rodgers.
Balikwisha is set to arrive in his prime, ready to perform, and could hit the ground running as an immediate star for the Scottish giants heading into the rest of the season.