Celtic Opinion: Amir Rrahmani could prove to be a massive coup for the Hoops
According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic have been credited with an interest in Kosovan international defender Amir Rrahmani, with reports claiming that Hoops manager Neil Lennon is looking to bolster his backline in the summer transfer window.
Rrahmani, who currently plies his trade with Dinamo Zagreb in the Croatian top-flight, has also attracted interest from Belgian giants Standard Liege and French Ligue 1 club Amiens. (h/t Scottish Sun)
The Scottish Sun also understands that Standard Liege is currently leading the race to sign the 25-year-old, although sources close to the player have revealed that he has his heart set on a move to Scotland this summer.
Rrahmani made a total of 26 appearances for Dinamo Zagreb in all competitions this past season, scoring thrice and assisting once. The 25-year-old also featured 7 times in the Europa League and earned rave reviews for his consistently impressive performances at the back.
Born in Pristina, Kosovo, Rrahmani started his professional career with Kosovan club Drenica before switching boats to join Albanian giants Partizani Tirana in 2013. Following his impressive performances in Albania, he was transferred to Croatian outfit RNK Split back in 2015, where he made 41 appearances in the 2015-16 season before joining Dinamo Zagreb.
Rrahmani spent a season on loan at Lokomotiva Zagreb in the Croatian top-flight before establishing himself as one of the key cogs at the back for his parent club. The 25-year-old stocks have been on the rise since the start of the 2017-18 season and he has carved out a reputation for himself as one of the best defenders in Croatia, featuring on 57 occasions for Dinamo Zagreb in all competitions.
Standing at 6ft. 4 inches with a towering and well-built frame, Amir Rrahmani is noted for his versatility to play in multiple positions across the backline. Quite fast and agile for a player of his stature, the 25-year-old combines the virtues of a left-back and a centre-back, and he has earned plaudits for his performances in both positions.
Blessed with the physicality, aerial ability and positional sense of a centre-back, Rrahmani also boasts of the necessary levels of agility and sharpness to fill in at left-back. Strong in the air and quick across the ground, the Kosovan international is a good tackler as well, whilst also possessing the calmness and composure to stay on his feet and clear the ball away to safety.
Rrahmani averaged an impressive 4.7 clearances, 2.9 aerial duels, 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in the Europa League this past season, figures which speak volumes of his well-rounded attributes and versatility as a defender.
To put things into perspective, it is not difficult to comprehend why Celtic have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old versatile defensive beast this summer. The Hoops are set for a massive overhaul of players at the back this time around and defensive reinforcements are likely to be high on Lennon’s wishlist, with question marks lingering over the futures of a number of stars.
Dedryck Boyata has already agreed terms with Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin while Filip Benkovic has returned to his parent club Leicester City, meaning that Celtic are going to have only Norwegian starlet Kristoffer Ajer and Croatian Jozo Simunovic as options at the heart of the defence next season.
The futures of the full-backs at Parkhead are yet to be sorted out, with Celtic still unsure whether to let the likes of Emilio Izaguirre, Mikael Lustig and Cristian Gamboa depart the club on free transfers. Borussia Dortmund loanee Jeremy Toljan is sure to return to his parent club, so the Hoops might as well start looking for fresh faces in the market.
Rrahmani, who can play at both centre-back and left-back, would be an excellent choice for Celtic, given his versatility and wealth of Europa League experience. The player’s links with clubs like Standard Liege and Amiens is a clear testament to his talent and potential, whilst his rise in Europe has been quite incredible.
Celtic beat Rangers in the title race to secure their eighth consecutive Scottish Premiership crown this season but the Hoops need to ensure that they keep up their dominance next term as well in a bid to make it nine in a row.
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Defence is one of the areas that is in dire need of investment this summer and, keeping that in mind, the acquisition of Amir Rrahmani could solve a lot of problems for Neil Lennon and company.
