Celtic Opinion: Christopher Jullien could prove to be a massive coup for the Hoops
According to Daily Record, Celtic have been credited with an interest in French centre- back Christopher Jullien in the summer transfer window, with manager Neil Lennon reportedly looking to bolster his backline ahead of the upcoming season.
Daily Record understands that the 26-year-old, who currently plies his trade with Toulouse in Ligue 1, has attracted interest from a number of clubs in Germany and England.
Celtic are by no means the frontrunners in the race to sign the towering £10 million-rated central defender but reports in France claim that the prospect of Champions League football might convince Jullien to complete a move to Parkhead this summer. (h/t Daily Record)
The 26-year-old made a total of 34 appearances in Ligue 1 and was an ever-present at the heart of the defence for Toulouse, as Alain Casanova’s side finished 16th in the standings.
A former youth international for France, Jullien has been a raging success in Ligue 1 ever since his move to Toulouse back in 2016, with the centre-back racking up 108 appearances for the club in all competitions till date.
A youth product of Auxerre, Jullien earned a coveted move to the Bundesliga with Freiburg earlier in his career but his stint in Germany proved to be an ill-fated one, with the Frenchman finding first-team opportunities limited and spending time with the reserve side.
A loan stint at Dijon in Ligue 2 followed by a permanent transfer to Toulouse has helped Jullien get his career back on track, and now with clubs in England, Germany and Scotland weighing up moves for the centre-back, the 26-year-old might get a chance to fulfil his dream of playing in the Champions League.
However, as things stand, Jullien remains in the dark over his next destination, although he still has two years left on his current contract at Toulouse.
To put things into perspective, it is not difficult to comprehend Celtic’s interest in the 26-year-old defender, given that the Hoops are currently under pressure to bring in reinforcements at the back.
The departure of long-standing centre-back Dedryck Boyata has left Lennon short of cover at the back and it is unlikely that Leicester City would allow Filip Benkovic to return to Parkhead for a second consecutive loan spell, particularly with Brendan Rodgers now in charge of the Foxes.
Celtic can, of course, choose to rely on the centre-back pairing of Jozo Simunovic and Kristoffer Ajer next season but one can get the feeling that they need to bring in at least another central defender to ensure good enough competition for places.
Embarking on the upcoming campaign with just two senior options at centre-back won’t necessarily be a good idea for Celtic, particularly with the Hoops under pressure to make it nine-in-a-row over arch-rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.
Christopher Jullien might not be a household name in Europe but he has shown strong signs of promise in Ligue 1 for a mid-table side and Celtic shouldn’t have any second thoughts about this move. Standing at 6ft. 5 inches with a towering frame, Jullien is an absolute beast of a central defender, who excels with his supreme aerial ability and physicality at the back.
Quite fast and agile for a player of his stature, Jullien might not be an exceptional tackler but he is more than capable of winning balls in the air and staying on his feet to clear the danger. Blessed with the ball-playing qualities of a modern-day defender, the Frenchman not only has the ability to play it out from the back with effortless ease but he also excels with his accurate long-passing.
Jullien averaged a staggering 4.3 aerial duels, 5.9 clearances and 3.6 successful long balls per game for Toulouse in Ligue 1 this past season, figures which speak volumes of his well-rounded attributes as a centre-back.
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Celtic need to get their problems at the back sorted out ahead of the next season and the acquisition of Christopher Jullien would undoubtedly be a massive statement of intent from the Hoops, as they look to complete yet another domestic treble and, possibly, enjoy a better run in Europe.
