Celtic should abandon centre-back plans and signal a “younger Virgil van Dijk”

There’s been a carousel of centre-backs at Celtic lately, a raft of gamers all failing to nail down that beginning function alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Ever for the reason that exit of Carl Starfelt, the Scottish champions have tried all of it in that division, snapping up the likes of Yuki Kobayashi, Nat Phillips (mortgage), Gustav Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki, amongst others.

That latter pair bizarrely did not even get a glance in below Brendan Rodgers, with Nawrocki solely just lately becoming a member of a Lens facet who completed second in Ligue 1 final season. Go determine.

With the brand new season now underway, Martin O’Neill has advised that he is “comfortable” together with his pool of centre-backs as issues stand – however ought to he be?

Why Celtic might be making a mistake with centre-back state of affairs

There is not any query that Carter-Vickers has been Celtic’s greatest centre-back for the reason that days of Virgil van Dijk, the USA worldwide arguably the “greatest defender in Scotland” when match and firing, within the view of Ange Postecoglou.

The difficulty is protecting the 28-year-old injury-free, nonetheless, with the previous Tottenham Hotspur man present process knee surgical procedure on the tail-end of 2022/2023, whereas additionally enduring a hamstring harm in 2023/24.

Final season’s Achilles rupture was most damaging, nonetheless, with Carter-Vickers admitting himself this week that he’s nonetheless a “work in progress”, having missed the vast majority of 2025/26.

He’ll want his minutes managing, making certain one among Liam Scales or Auston Trusty is prone to need to line up in an unsuited proper centre-back once more, a shift that does not seem to swimsuit both left-footer.

The one different ‘senior’ various is Dane Murray, the academy graduate notably impressing below O’Neill within the 1-0 win away at Stuttgart final season.

And but, the abiding reminiscence of Murray is his Tynecastle horror present early final season, or his Ibrox woes again in March, and at 23, this is not precisely a uncooked, younger prospect who’s solely simply studying his craft.

A interval on the sidelines for Carter-Vickers might then depart the Parkhead facet wanting significantly gentle in that division, therefore why a fifth centre-back would not go amiss.

How Celtic can signal a “younger Virgil van Dijk”

Maybe essentially the most telling instance of Celtic’s centre-back woes was centred across the mortgage signing of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, with the teenager becoming a member of from Manchester Metropolis final summer time.

Tipped to be the following Jason Denayer, Dedryck Boyata or Jeremie Frimpong in Glasgow, the Englishman went on to play simply as soon as for the Hoops, having been wanting match health upon arrival. He is since secured a everlasting transfer to Bundesliga facet FC Koln, following a six-month mortgage stint.

The Parkhead facet did not less than see extra from his alternative, Benjamin Arthur, the 20-year-old that includes six occasions below O’Neill following his January mortgage swap from Brentford.

As reported by Soccer Insider, Celtic at the moment are stated to be eager on a reunion, with there an opportunity that the Premier League outfit might permit Arthur to return to Glasgow on one other mortgage deal.

O’Neill is alleged to be significantly eager to deliver the 6 foot 4 starlet again into the fold, with the Premiership facet having already seen a bid rejected by the west Londoners.

Whereas the younger Englishman did solely make 4 league appearances in inexperienced and white, O’Neill seemingly favored what he noticed, the 74-year-old believed to be the ‘driving power’ behind this transfer.

Securing one other mortgage for Arthur might be an actual coup, even when he has solely 9 senior profession appearances thus far, with there an actual expertise there ready to blow up.

Within the view of Dundee boss Steven Pressley, who beforehand labored with the centre-back at Brentford, Arthur is sort of like a “younger Virgil van Dijk“, such is his profile and bodily prowess.

That comparability shouldn’t be with out advantage too, with even Arthur’s transient outings final season offering sufficient cause to be inspired.

Within the Premiership, as an example, he remarkably gained 87% of his aerial duels and 71% of his floor duels, wanting like an actual dominant power within the backline as he additionally averaged 7.3 clearances per sport.

For context, within the Premier League final season, Van Dijk gained 70% of his floor duels and 74% of his aerial duels, alongside making 7.2 clearances on common, having lengthy been the main central defender in English soccer.

The place Arthur additionally mirrors the previous Celtic hero is in his ball-playing high quality, boasting an 89% go accuracy fee, together with a 95% go completion inside his personal half.

That once more compares properly to Van Dijk, the towering Dutchman recording an 89% go fee himself, in addition to 96% go accuracy inside his personal half.

That statistical likeness, even when simply primarily based on a small pattern dimension, bodes properly for what Arthur might provide throughout a whole season, with it but to be seen whether or not Murray can actually be the right-sided understudy to Carter-Vickers that Celtic so desperately want.