OPINION
Celtic must hijack Besiktas’ move to sign Jeremain Lens from Sunderland this summer as they look to go one better and qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League.
The Daily Mail claims Turkish champions Besiktas have agreed a £4.5million fee to sign the 29-year-old winger this month, after spending the 2016-17 season on loan with the SuperLig giants.
It is said that Besiktas looked to take the 34-time Holland international on loan for another season but Simon Grayson’s side rejected that offer, before the two clubs agreed a fee and a three-year deal is now set to be signed.
However, after Celtic got one step closer to the group stages of the Champions League, Brendan Rodgers will be keen to add the kind of talent that can see them improve on last season’s finish in the European competition.
Celtic are yet to properly replace Patrick Roberts, after the England youth international returned to parent club Manchester City at the end of the 2016-17 season.
It showed against Rosenborg; Celtic were largely fruitless in the final third with Scott Sinclair, Stuart Armstrong and Tom Rogic all proving ineffective until James Forrest struck home a late effort.
Lens boasts magnificent speed that allows him to explode past an opponent at full pelt, as well possessing trickery that can bamboozle a defender and leave him in his dust.
In Europe, Sunderland’s attacker has made a huge 66 appearances in both the Champions League and the Europe League.
He has proved more than prolific, scoring 15 goals and laying on a further 10 with AZ Alkmaar, PSV, Dynamo Kiev and Fenerbahce and that kind of quality would be a huge boost in Celtic edging closer to Champions League success.
Better quality, more speed and proven European experience is needed in attack at Celtic Park and Lens provides all of that in abundance. At £4.5million, the versatile attacker is perfect.