Celtic have only made one addition to their first-team squad during the January transfer window so far, and they only have a matter of hours left to do further business.
Last week, the Hoops completed a deal to sign Jota on a permanent transfer from Ligue 1 side Rennes, 18 months on from his exit from Parkhead to sign for Al Ittihad.
The Portuguese forward made a terrific return to life with the Scottish Premiership giants by scoring the third goal in the 3-1 win over Motherwell on Sunday.
Celtic are, now, reportedly on the verge of signing another player to bolster their squad before the deadline, and he could form a partnership with Jota down the left flank.
Celtic closing in on Premier League ace
According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic have made an offer to sign Crystal Palace full-back Jeffrey Schlupp on loan until the end of the season.
The reporter claims that a deal is close to being agreed between the two sides and it will see the versatile star make the move to Parkhead for the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, before returning to Selhurst Park in the summer.
Joseph reported that the Hoops also made an enquiry about a potential deal to sign the 32-year-old ace in the summer transfer window last year, which suggests that he is a long-term target for Brendan Rodgers.
Kieran Tierney is due to sign on a free transfer in the summer and it appears as though Schlupp has been targeted as a stop-gap until the Scotland international’s deal with Arsenal expires at the end of the season.
Why Jeffrey Schlupp could be a good signing
Firstly, the Ghana international has the versatility to play in a plethora of positions, as he has been deployed at centre-back, left-back, defensive midfield, central midfield, and left wing, among other roles, throughout his career.
This means that Rodgers could use him to fill gaps in the team in various areas, if needed, due to injuries or suspensions in the second half of the campaign.
Left-back could be his main position for the Hoops, however, after Alex Valle’s loan was cut short, and he will have to fight with Greg Taylor for a starting spot.
Schlupp, who was hailed as “fantastic” by Eagles boss Oliver Glasner, is a vastly experienced player who could be a great asset to Jota on the left wing this season.
|
Jeffrey Schlupp (Premier League) |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
29 |
12 |
|
Starts |
17 |
0 |
|
Goals + assists |
4 |
0 |
|
Big chances created |
2 |
0 |
|
Duel success rate |
50% |
43% |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, the Premier League veteran has made 41 appearances in the English top-flight since the start of last season, which shows that he has still played semi-regularly at the top level in the past 18 months.
He could provide a solid option at left-back when required and a great presence in the dressing room and on the pitch, given his 280 Premier League appearances, to help Jota, who is settling back into life at Parkhead after struggles at Al Ittihad and Renes, to get back to his best.
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