The most successful teams in FA Cup history | OneFootball

Celtic have enquired over the potential signing of Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt, as transfer insider Dean Jones provides GIVEMESPORT with an update on a prospective deal at Parkhead.

Brendan Rodgers has made a solid return to the Hoops after being reappointed as head coach at Celtic Park in the summer of 2023 but will hope he is backed in the 2024 winter market to tighten his grip on a Scottish Premiership triumph.

The Bhoys have made a positive start to the 2023/24 campaign but will be disappointed at their early exit from European competition, finishing at the bottom of their Champions League group. Gelhardt made his breakthrough at Leeds during the Yorkshire outfit’s time in the Premier League but has struggled to kick on and maintain that form following their demotion to the Championship.

Just past the halfway point of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership season, Celtic lead nearest title rivals Rangers by eight points. However, the gap to the Hoops’ Glasgow rivals isn’t quite as comfortable as it appears on the surface, with the Gers having played two fewer games owing to various fixture rearrangements.

Celtic have been relatively productive in front of goal, having hit the back of the net 53 times in 22 Premiership fixtures this term. Top scorers Matt O’Riley and Kyogo Furuhashi have hit ten strikes apiece in all competitions, whilst Luis Palma and David Turnbull have also notched seven goals across the campaign. When speaking to GIVEMESPORT (31st December 2023), Jones described the former as a potential heir to John McGinn at Aston Villa after the Villans were credited with an interest in the Dane.

However, Rodgers may feel underwhelmed with the numbers his out-and-out centre-forwards are producing, with Oh Hyeon-Gyu bagging five goals. Therefore, it is no surprise that Celtic are scouring the market for potential striker additions during the current winter market.

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Celtic are considering a potential move for Leeds striker Gelhardt. However, they are joined by Championship outfit West Bromwich Albion and Premiership rivals Rangers in the race for the reported £15,000 per-week earner.

The Hoops have already made their first signing of 2024 with the addition of Rapid Vienna winger Nicolas Kuhn, who arrives at Parkhead for £3m. But the acquisition of Gelhardt would offer Rodgers an alternative option in his centre-forward ranks, though he could also offer versatility across his front line.

Dean Jones - Gelhardt would be a ‘nice profile player’ to sign for Celtic

Jones assumes that any Celtic move for Gelhardt would likely be on a loan basis, with the player’s profile fitting the side well. The transfer insider doesn’t think the Hoops will be “doing any harm” to consider acquiring the 21-year-old’s signature. Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

Celtic transfer update on Cameron Carter-Vickers’ future

Having already made their first significant signing of the 2024 winter window, Rodgers hopes that he will continue to be backed until the market’s deadline. The Hoops welcomed ten new faces to Celtic Park during the summer but will feel that 11 departures opens room for more additions in the coming weeks.

However, Rodgers may have to focus on keeping hold of his top talent, with centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers linked with a move away from Glasgow. According to SBI, the United States international has piqued the interest of Premier League trio Brentford, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.

The 26-year-old arrived at Parkhead on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the 2021/22 campaign before eventually making the move permanent 12 months later. However, Carter-Vickers could be tempted by the opportunity to return south of the border and play in one of Europe’s leading domestic leagues.

Celtic hope to secure their safe passage to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup when they welcome Buckie Thistle to Parkhead on 21st January. Rodgers’ side return to Premiership action on 27th January, closing out the month when they host Ross County, looking to extend their lead at the top of the league table.