Why Celtic should sign Albian Ajeti on loan to bolster their attack
According to Sky Sports, Celtic boss Neil Lennon has held talks with the representatives of West Ham striker Albian Ajeti over a proposed switch in the ongoing transfer window.
The two clubs agreed on a potential loan deal for the 23-year-old with an option to make the move permanent for a fee of around £5million following initial talks last month but a switch north of the border was put on hold after Ajeti requested more time to think about his future. (h/t Sky Sports)
Ajeti, who struggled for regular minutes and failed to impress in the Premier League following his move to the East London outfit in the summer of 2019, has also attracted interest from newly-promoted English top-flight club West Brom. (h/t Sky Sports)
However, as per the source, while the Swiss international prefers to stay in the Premier League, he is tempted by the prospect of playing European football at Celtic, who are looking to bolster their attacking options.
Profile
Ajeti rose through the youth ranks at FC Basel in his homeland and made his professional debut before earning a move to FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga. However, a failed adventure in Germany forced him to return to Switzerland with St. Gallen, initially on loan, and he eventually re-signed for his boyhood club, Basel.
A 21-goal haul in the 2018-19 campaign paved the way for a lucrative switch to West Ham but Ajeti made 12 appearances for the Hammers across all competitions in the recently-concluded 2019-20 season, failing to find the net even once.
Why Celtic need him
The Hoops eased past arch-rivals Rangers to clinch their 9th straight domestic title in the Covid-curtailed 2019-20 Scottish Premiership campaign, thanks in large proportion to star striker Odsonne Edouard’s remarkable 21-goal tally.
Experienced hitman Leigh Griffiths chipped in with 9 league goals as well, but it’s imperative to say that Lennon doesn’t have a lot of depth in his striking ranks beyond the two aforementioned players. Flop striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo could leave Parkhead on loan while Edouard’s long-term future continues to be up in the air amid interest from several top clubs in Europe.
January recruit from Poland, Patryk Klimala, started the new season on a bright note with a goal in Celtic’s 5-1 demolition of Hamilton, but he’s yet to prove his worth on a consistent basis. To that end, the Hoops need to groom a talented young striker to take over the reins from Edouard. Ajeti’s proven track record in the Swiss top-flight lies testament to his talent and potential.
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Verdict
The Swiss international would provide Lennon with some immediate and quality cover up top as the Hoops bid to make it ten in a row on the domestic front. They also have to take into consideration the Europa League and the domestic cup competitions, so depth in the squad could be absolutely crucial for the reigning champions.
Ajeti might have struggled to cope with the pressure of playing in the Premier League but he remains a fine young prospect and it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Celtic to consider a permanent deal for him in the future if he manages to resurrect his career over the course of a loan move at Parkhead.
