da bet7： Has anyone seen a striker? Yes, the January window is almost at the halfway stage, although Scottish champions Celtic have yet to bring in a new number nine, despite the continued woes in that position this season.

da leao： Kelechi Iheanacho, Callum Osmand, Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny – the Hoops’ current pool of centre-forwards have netted just nine times between them in 2025/26, with the first two names on that list also currently sidelined with injury to boot.

Last season’s hero, Daizen Maeda, has returned to a number nine berth since Martin O’Neill’s swift return, although the Japanese speedster isn’t a natural striker, with much of his best work coming from the left.

From a time in which Ange Postecoglou had the luxury of selecting between Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis, the Parkhead side are now so light in attack.

That could all change in the coming weeks if reports are to be believed, albeit with centre-forward not the only position under consideration…

Celtic looking for midfield depth amid striker search

Sticking with the striker search, the leading name to have emerged this week is Chelsea’s David Datro Fofana, with the Hoops believed to have expressed an interest in signing the 23-year-old this month.

The Ivorian marksman is currently on loan at Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk, where he has scored seven goals in 14 games in all competitions, although a change of scenery could be on the cards before the window is out.

A permanent deal to bring the striker to Glasgow has been mooted, while elsewhere, 67hailhail are reporting that Celtic have held talks over signing Kisvarda midfielder Ridwan Popoola.

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The suggestion is that contact has been made ahead of a potential move for the 19-year-old sensation, with the likes of Queens Park Rangers and Aberdeen also keen to prise him from the Hungarian side.

In terms of a fee, the report adds that while the teenager has a market value of around €500k (£400k), he is likely to cost beyond that figure due to the interest in him.

Why Popoola could be Celtic's next Wanyama

Celtic remain well stocked in the midfield department, considering O’Neill has the likes of Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor, Arne Engels and Paulo Bernardo to choose from, alongside the more attack-minded Benjamin Nygren and Luke McCowan.

Adding something different into that mix could well still be needed, however, with Popoola something of a powerhouse talent who could add real physicality in front of the back four, having been described as a “midfield destroyer” by Hungarian journalist Bence Bocsak.

In the view of Bocsak, whoever signs the in-demand talent will be “getting a gem”, with there certainly shades of Victor Wanyama about this deal from a Celtic perspective.

Victor Wanyama

Indeed, Wanyama arrived as a 20-year-old at Celtic on a bargain £900k deal back in 2011, having previously tested himself at Belgian side Beerschot, following time in his native Kenya.

Popoola, still only 19, has navigated a similar path, moving to Hungary from Olukismet FC in Nigeria, playing a minimal role as his side secured promotion from the second tier last season.

After just seven league outings in 2024/25, the £400k-rated sensation has already made 15 appearances in Hungary’s top-flight this time around, all of which have come from the start, scoring once against Paks.

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Like Wanyama, the beauty of the youngster is that, for all his physical prowess, it should not be overlooked his quality on the ball, with Bocsak noting that “he is composed and deals well with pressure” in possession.

Popoola – 25/26 League stats

Stat (*per game)

Record

Games

15

Starts

15

Goals & Assists

1

Pass accuracy*

85%

Key passes*

0.6

Successful dribbles*

1.1

Tackles*

4.0

Interceptions*

1.1

Duels won*

62%

Stats via Sofascore

A towering, box-to-box figure like the 6 foot 2 Wanyama, Popoola’s knack for driving his side up the pitch from deep can be seen in how he averages 1.1 successful dribbles per game this season, as per Sofascore, albeit while also averaging 5.1 tackles and interceptions too.

For context, the aforementioned McGregor averages just 0.5 successful dribbles per game in the Premiership, alongside winning just 2.4 tackles and interceptions, highlighting just how Popoola can offer something different as a defensive screen at the base of the midfield.

It would be a gamble putting faith in a player just 23 games into his senior career in Hungary, but Celtic reaped the rewards of their punt on Wanyama, later selling him to Southampton on a £12.5m deal just two years later.

If Bocsak’s opinion is right, Popoola is on a similar trajectory, currently showing “the hallmarks of a top level holding midfielder”. Hopefully, O’Neill and co can win the race for his signature.

Celtic have held talks "in the last 48hrs" to sign a £2.6m upgrade on Maeda

Celtic are reportedly eyeing up a deal to sign a prolific striker who would be an upgrade on Daizen Maeda.

ByDan Emery