OPINION
Celtic are reportedly in a four-club battle to sign Lorient striker Abdul Majeed Waris this summer as Brendan Rodgers looks to bolster his side’s chances in the Champions League.
The Daily Mail claimed in their transfer news column on Thursday that the 25-year-old forward’s form in France has caught the eye of a number of British clubs with one month left in the transfer window.
It is said that the 25-time Ghana international is also interesting Brighton, West Ham and Fulham this summer, with a fee of £9million said to be enough to sign the speed machine.
Majeed came to Britain as a teenager and had trials with Manchester City while studying in Gloucestershire, but failed to gain a work permit.
Since then, the Ghanaian has been hopping between countries after chancing his arm in Sweden, Russia, France and Turkey with the likes of Valenciennes, Spartak Moscow, Trabzonspor and BK Hacken.
However, Majeed has settled with Lorient and since moving to the club in August 2015, he has scored 23 goals in just 65 outings despite playing out wide more than he has played down the middle.
Here, This Is Futbol analyses if signing Majeed is a good move for Celtic, and whether the move seems to be likely.
Good move for Celtic?
Celtic’s lack of strikeforce against Rosenborg over the last seven days proves just why they need to add another top-class striker to their ranks.
Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths were both sidelined for the first leg, while Griffiths managed only a substitute appearances in the second leg as Scott Sinclair and James Forrest were used as makeshift strikers.
Bringing a third, top-class forward to Celtic this month would give Rodgers that assurance in the final third that if either Dembele or Griffiths suffer an injury, he has adequate replacements.
That risks Majeed becoming unhappy, but his ability to play out wide would give him the necessary game time required to remain content in Glasgow.
With his talent undoubted, Majeed would more than improve Celtic’s side but at £9million, is signing a player that will only be used as cover for Dembele worth it?
This Is Futbol rating: 5/10
Likely to happen?
The lure of Champions League football is difficult to ignore. Celtic’s rivals in Fulham, West Ham and Brighton offer very little that can compete with such attraction.
Fulham’s offer of Championship football is miles behind the temptation of elite European competition, while West Ham and Brighton may not give Majeed first-team football.
At £9million, Majeed would smash the Celtic transfer record which currently stands at £6million, which the Hoops paid for Chris Sutton and John Hartson in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
A huge £3million more than their current record, Celtic would be well-advised to look elsewhere in bolstering their options in the final third.
This Is Futbol rating: 2/10