Why Jordon Ibe would be a perfect fit at Celtic
According to Football Insider (h/t Daily Express), former England striker Kevin Phillips has tipped Celtic to sign Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe for free.
The 24-year-old Ibe’s current contract at Bournemouth is set to expire next month and is available for free in the upcoming transfer window. The report also suggests that Ibe had confirmed that he will be leaving the Premier League side when his contract ends.
Right-winger Ibe was a then club-record signing when Bournemouth bought him from Liverpool back in 2016 for a sum of £15million. Touted to be a future star, Ibe, however, failed to live up to the expectations at Bournemouth despite moving four years back.
So far, he has featured 92 times for the Cherries across all competitions but has only 5 goals and 9 assists to his name. With Ibe continuously failing to perform, he has now fallen down the pecking order under boss Eddie Howe.
This saw the winger playing just four matches this term for Howe’s side, of which two have come from the bench. Ibe struggled last season also, making just 19 league appearances and managing just one goal and assist respectively.
Being on the sidelines for so long seems to have frustrated Ibe, who is now craving for a move elsewhere to restart his career. Former Three Lions striker Phillips believes that Celtic is the perfect destination.
Meanwhile, the report also claims that Ibe, who is currently earning £40,000-a-week with the Cherries, is ready to take a pay cut to seal a move to the Parkhead club this summer.
In Ibe, Celtic will have an experienced winger in their midst
Neil Lennon’s Celtic lack an experienced right-winger in their midst, with 22-year-old Maryan Shved being the only recognisable face in the side. However, Shved has made just one league appearance this season, making it is evident that he is clearly not in manager Lennon’s plans at the moment.
Celtic also have in-form man James Forrest, who can play across the right flank. However, he is more of a midfielder and prefers to play a little deeper. Ibe, on the other hand, is comfortable playing across both the wings – something which he has done for Bournemouth already. This could prove to be a valuable asset for Lennon as he can use him in a variety of roles in the attack.
Also, Ibe is available for free, with his contract set to expire, meaning this is the best opportunity for Celtic to rope in an experienced winger. Hence, they should not think twice about signing him.
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Verdict
Celtic are in dire need of some wingers, with manager Lennon mostly dependent on Forrest across the right flank. Thus, Ibe’s inclusion will only make them stronger and offer Lennon a variety of options in the attack. Moreover, Ibe would be itching to prove a point, having been sidelined for a long time this season. Hence, Celtic should pay heed to Phillip’s words and sign him soon.
