OPINION
Celtic would play a blinder if they managed to beat Barcelona in the reported race to sign Girona centre-forward Cristhian Stuani.
According to Mexican radio network Radio Formula, Liga MX side Monterrey want to sign the 32-year-old striker following Girona’s relegation from La Liga.
However it is understood that Celtic, Nottingham Forest and Barcelona, who want to sign a back-up striker, are also interested in snapping up the Uruguay international now that he is available for just £6.1million due to Girona’s demise.
It is no shock to see so many clubs, including Barca, interested in the former Middlesbrough striker, because he has been prolific in the Spanish top-flight this season.
Across all competitions, Stuani scored 20 goals in 34 appearances for Girona, which is crazy to think that someone can hit those numbers for a team that has suffered relegation.
He scored twice in a 2-2 draw against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in September and also found the back of the net against teams like Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Valencia.
Now that Celtic have sorted out that Neil Lennon will be their manager next season, it is time for them to kick on with their transfer business and one area of that squad that needs adding to is their striker options.
Odsonne Edouard is great, but away from him there are doubts about Leigh Griffiths after he spent most of the season sidelined and Vakoun Issouf Bayo, who made just one appearance for the Hoops since joining in January.
Timothy Weah and Oliver Burke have since returned to their parent clubs after mixed loan spells and that leaves a space open for Lennon to go after experienced Uruguay international Stuani.
He might be 32-years-old and he might cost a fair bit at £6.1million, but there is no doubt that he would fire on all cylinders in the Scottish Premiership.
Just look at the teams he put to the sword in Spain and now imagine the impact he could have against teams like Kilmarnock, Hibernian, Aberdeen and even Rangers.
Stuani and Edouard would be a great pair of strikers to have going into next season.
It would be a stellar piece of business and quite a coup if Lennon managed to pull this off in the summer.