Scottish giants have been linked with a move for Stoke City’s young striker Tyrese Campbell and they are believed to be monitoring his situation at the club, as per the Daily Record.
The report claims that the Hoops could have an advantage in a potential deal as Campbell’s current deal at the Potteries runs out at the end of the current season. Celtic are one of the six clubs who are keeping an eye on the England Under-21s striker.
Celtic head of operations Nick Hammond is said to be looking at players who are from the ‘diamond in the rough’ stage of their career. Campbell is one of those who he has kept an eye on in recent weeks.
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The report also claims that Campbell will cost only £350,000 as a cross-border compensation deal.
Diamond in the rough
The 19-year-old Campbell is a product of the Manchester City youth academy and joined Stoke from the Citizens three years ago for a fee of £1.75 million. Since then, he has grown up the pecking order at Stoke.
This season, the striker has been playing some regular first-team football for Stoke. He has played 13 times in the Championship, playing thrice in their League Cup campaign as well. In all competitions this season, he has found the back of the net only once and has one assist to his name too.
In the Premier League 2 for the Stoke Under-23s side, Campbell has played once. He has scored twice during that time.
He spent the second half of the previous season on loan at League One side Shrewsbury. He played 15 first-team games for the club, finding the back of the net five times. In the Premier League 2 last season, Campbell had scored six times in ten games for the Under-23s outfit.
TIF Tactics
Celtic need a striker in January. Campbell is young and his numbers in the past and for the current campaign show that he is still growing in the role. But for a cut-price deal, no club should say no to the teenager. For someone who is 19, it isn’t easy to play first-team in the Championship.
In the long-term, he could become the club’s first-choice striker before potential becoming a second-choice striker from January onwards.