Rodgers plots move for "incredible" star who'd be Celtic's new Elyounoussi

Celtic are into the final stretch of the 2024/25 campaign after coming out on the other side of the last international break of the season with a 3-0 win over Hearts.

The Scottish Premiership leaders secured all three points against the Jam Tarts thanks to two goals from Daizen Maeda and one strike from Jota last weekend.

Celtic are 13 points clear at the top of the Premiership table and are looking to wrap up the league in the next few weeks, as they close in on their fourth successive title.

The Hoops also have the semi-finals of the SFA Cup, where they will face St. Johnstone later this month, to look forward to as they attempt to win a domestic treble this season.

Brendan Rodgers may, however, have one eye on the upcoming summer transfer window and how he can improve his Celtic squad to perform even better in the 2025/26 campaign.

The likes of Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo, Kasper Schmeichel, Adam Idah, and Auston Trusty all came through the door last year, and they have helped the Hoops to continue their domestic dominance.

Brendan Rodgers’ demand for the summer transfer window

According to Football Insider, the Northern Irish manager wants ‘huge’ backing from the board in the summer to ensure that the team can progress in Europe next season.

The report claims that the manager’s future is uncertain at Parkhead, with his contract due to expire in the summer of 2026, and that the club’s performance in Europe is the key to keeping him in Glasgow.

It states that Rodgers wants the board to improve the team to make them more competitive in the Champions League, after they were knocked out in the play-off stage by Bayern Munich this term.

Football Insider, however, does not mention any active transfer targets for the Scottish giants, beyond pointing out that Scotland international Kieran Tierney will arrive at Parkhead on a free transfer from Premier League side Arsenal when his contract at The Emirates expires this summer.

There is a fresh report, though, that reveals one of Celtic’s targets for the upcoming summer transfer window, and it is a player the Bhoys have been linked to in the past.

The latest on Celtic’s interest in £5m forward

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are still interested in a deal to sign Belgian winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Pro League outfit Royal Antwerp.

The report claims that the Premiership leaders sent scouts to watch the forward in action against Union Saint-Gilloise, as Antwerp were hammered 5-1 last weekend.

It states that the 23-year-old whiz has been a long-time target for Rodgers, who is now plotting a fresh swoop for his services, as the manager wanted him in the recent January transfer window and last summer.

The Scottish Sun adds that the right-footed speedster is valued at £5m by Royal Antwerp, but it remains to be seen how much Celtic are prepared to spend on the winger.

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This latest report also reveals that the Belgian side are prepared to cash in on him in the upcoming summer window because the forward will only have 12 months left on his contract, and it could be their last chance to sell the gem before they lose him for nothing in 2026.

Celtic must now push to get a deal over the line for the Pro League attacker ahead of next season, as the winger could be the club’s next version of Mohamed Elyounoussi.

Why Celtic should sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha

The Scottish giants have had many impressive left-sided wingers over the years, including the Norway international they had on loan from Southampton in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns.

Elyounoussi scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists in 67 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, predominantly playing as a left winger but also being deployed as a second striker and as a right winger at times.

The Norwegian dynamo provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the left flank, and Balikwisha could follow in his footsteps.

In fact, the Belgian star was the second-most similar player, as per FBref, to Elyounoussi in the 2023/24 edition of the Champions League, with the chart below highlighting their statistical similarities – mainly out of possession and as ball carriers.

This suggests that Balikwisha could arrive at Celtic and remind supporters of their former loanee with his similar style of play, whilst his form for Royal Antwerp last season suggests that he can also deliver in the final third.

The Pro League ace, who was once described as one of a number of “incredible” young talents by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has missed a large part of this season through injury, starting two games and creating three ‘big chances’, but he featured in 33 of the club’s 38 league matches in the 2023/24 campaign.

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha offered quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Antwerp last term, averaging three chances created every two games and outperforming his xG.

These statistics also show that he can hold his own in physical battles, winning the majority of his duels, and this suggests that the forward would be able to deal with the physicality and intensity of the Scottish top-flight.

Like Elyounoussi, Balikwisha likes to come infield onto his right foot from a left wing position to cause problems for opposition defenders at the top end of the pitch, as shown in the clip below.

Rodgers could, therefore, land Celtic’s new version of the Norway international by pushing the board to seal a £5m deal for the attacker when the summer transfer window opens for business, whilst adding another excellent wide option to his arsenal – alongside the likes of Hyun-jun Yang, Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn, and Jota.

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At the age of 23, Balikwisha also has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and improve, which means that he could be an excellent long-term addition for the Scottish giants.

Overall, the Antwerp star could be a fine addition to the Celtic squad because of the quality he could provide in the final third, as well as the potential he has to progress and grow in value in the future.