OPINION
It looks as though Celtic are going to be spending some money in the January transfer window after chief executive Peter Lawwell claimed that Brendan Rodgers will be allowed to strengthen his squad.
One of the key areas that must be strengthened in the winter is at right-back due to Mikael Lustig and Cristian Gamboa both currently out of form and out of contract at the end of the season.
Rodgers needs to sign someone not only to be an upgrade on the pair but also to fill what will eventually be a void in his side, so that means that he simply must go out and make an audacious move for Roma right-back Rick Karsdorp.
The 23-year-old signed for the Serie A giants for £16.9million (Goal) from Feyenoord in 2017 but has since made just three appearances across all competitions due to a serious knee injury he suffered last season.
It was a major blow for the young Netherlands international, who had shown in the Eredivise that he had the potential to turn into one of Europe’s better right-backs.
After rising through the ranks at Feyenoord, Karsdorp made 101 total first team appearances for the Rotterdam side, scoring one goal and supplying 19 assists in the process as he also earned his first senior caps for Holland.
He is an excellent attack-minded right-back and that is something that Celtic would love to have so that they can continue their dominion over Scottish football while also trying to reach further in Europe.
Since regaining his fitness Karsdorp has had to make do with sitting on the bench for Roma, who reached the Champions League semi-finals last season while he was injured, and that means that he could be interested in a move away from the Stadio Olimpico in January.
Because of his injury and lack of game-time in Rome, Celtic may be able to sign Karsdorp on a deal worth way less than what the European giants paid for him last year.
It helps that Lawwell has also revealed that Rodgers will have money to spend in the winter.
“[The] market is difficult. [We were] all frustrated after summer window. We want to invest, there’s money to invest, we’ll look to do that in Jan,” he said, as quoted by Evening Times journalist Alison McConnell via her personal Twitter account on Wednesday.
PL: ‘market is difficult. All frustrated after summer window. We want to invest, there’s money to invest, we’ll look to do that in Jan.’
— Alison McConnell (@alibali76) November 21, 2018
It is a mouthwatering statement by Lawwell and is one that will get the fans excited about what Rodgers can do in January.
Whatever he decides to do with the money made on selling players like Stuart Armstrong and Moussa Dembele, a good chunk of it has to go towards buying a new right-back and that right-back has to be Karsdorp.