Teamwork makes the dream work

Why Celtic’s “big assertion” signing now appears like one other Idah

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One of many hardest elements of recruitment in soccer is discovering a constant and dependable centre-forward to attain targets frequently, as Celtic have came upon in recent times.

Kyogo Furuhashi had stuffed that function for the Hoops for a number of years, even scoring 34 targets in all competitions within the 2022/23 marketing campaign, however the membership have struggled since his departure in the beginning of 2025.

One of many signings made in an try to switch the Japan worldwide was Adam Idah, who initially joined on mortgage from Norwich Metropolis earlier than signing completely in the summertime of 2024.

The Scottish Premiership giants agreed a deal price as much as £9.5m to signal the Eire worldwide on a everlasting foundation, which turned out to be a expensive mistake.

How Adam Idah’s profession at Celtic unfolded

On the time of his transfer to the membership completely in the midst of August in 2024, Idah was probably the membership’s most costly signing of all time if add-ons have been met.

Celtic’s report signings at time of Idah’s arrival

Participant

Charge

Adam Idah

£9.5m

Odsonne Edouard

£8m

Jota

£8m

Christopher Jullien

£7m

Auston Trusty

£6m

Cameron Carter-Vickers

£6m

Nevertheless, Arne Engels joined the Scottish aspect later in that window from Augsburg for a charge of £11m, making him the membership’s outright report signing.

A charge of as much as £9.5m was nonetheless an enormous dedication from Celtic, although, and so they weren’t rewarded with performances befitting a participant of that worth, as he struggled as a finisher within the Premiership within the 2024/25 marketing campaign.

adam_idah_2024_25_scottish_premiership_shooting_3000x3000_final

Idah solely scored 13 targets from 15 xG and missed 19 ‘huge possibilities’ within the league for Brendan Rodgers, as he failed to indicate that he might end possibilities effectively because the staff’s major quantity 9.

His poor kind in entrance of objective prompted Rodgers to money in on the Eire worldwide after one season, promoting him to Swansea for £6m in the summertime of 2025, which represented a major loss for the membership.

Celtic have discovered their new Adam Idah

Idah was an thrilling signing on the time of his transfer to Parkhead as a result of he had simply scored the successful objective within the SFA Cup towards Rangers on the finish of his mortgage spell, and joined as an costly centre-forward signing.

Dermot Desmond and the remainder of the board replicated the hype that got here with Idah’s arrival by committing a major charge to the signing of one other striker this summer season.

Celtic swooped to signal Denmark worldwide Kasper Hogh from Bodo/Glimt for a charge that might rise to in extra of £11m, probably making him the most costly signing within the membership’s historical past.

Journalist Michael Shearer described the transfer as a “big assertion of intent” from Desmond and Martin O’Neill, after the striker scored 5 targets in 12 video games within the Champions League within the 2025/26 marketing campaign.

kasper-hogh-celtic-rangers (2) REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

Hogh was an extremely thrilling signing for the Scottish giants as a result of he had scored 54 targets and supplied 22 assists in 103 appearances for Bodo/Glimt in all competitions.

The Danish marksman, nonetheless, has but to reside as much as the hype that got here along with his arrival at Parkhead, and his most up-to-date efficiency towards Rangers within the Premiership summed up his early struggles in Glasgow.

Vs Rangers

Kasper Hogh

Minutes

45

Photographs

0

Key passes

0

Huge possibilities created

0

Crosses

0

Dribbles

0

Floor duels received

0

Aerial duels received

0

Fouls

2

Hogh got here on at half-time along with his staff 1-0 down at Parkhead towards the Gers and managed to finish the match with none duels received, pictures taken, or possibilities created for his staff.

The 25-year-old striker did present some promise early on within the season when he scored a hat-trick towards Kilmarnock within the Premiership, however he has not scored a objective in any of the seven matches since then.

He has solely scored in one among his 9 appearances for the Scottish giants in all competitions, and his lack of depth and mobility on and off the ball has appeared like a difficulty to this point.

Hogh has misplaced 72% of his floor duels within the Premiership and misplaced all 5 of his floor duels within the opening Europa League conflict with Ferencvaros.

kasper-hogh-celtic REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

Like Idah, the £11m-rated striker has not proven the consistency in entrance of objective or the depth in his common play that means that he has what it takes to guide the road for Celtic frequently.

That’s regarding, albeit it’s nonetheless early within the season, as a result of the membership paid an enormous sum of cash for the centre-forward, and he appears extra like the brand new Idah than the brand new Kyogo at this second in time.