There is clearly a bit of concern among Bodø/Glimt fans when they now sell their top scorer, but immediately in Sunday’s game against Sandefjord, two established stars and a comet made sure of a 0 – 3 victory.
It has become the hallmark of Norway’s richest to sell their stars big big money after a couple of three years and still deliver on the field. All that in the back of their minds, a sale of Kasper Høgh, regardless of heirs and money will weaken them this autumn.
Huge interest in Antonio Nusa!
Celtic, who already have a striker, are now bringing in Kasper Høgh, which football experts believe could create a headache for manager Martin O’Neill.
The Danish striker has been on Bhoys’ radar as a top target in several transfer windows, now the Scots are in the process of getting hold of “their man at the top”. It is reported that coach Martin O’Neil has a very offensive attack plan with Høgh in one of the main roles at the top.
Høgh is expected to be Celtic’s top signing this summer, but there is already great optimism about their first summer signing, striker Camilo Duran. The Colombian arrived for a much more modest sum from Qarabag, but already has three goals in three games for his new club in pre-season.
Kasper Høgh is in the final stages of his transfer from Bodø/Glimt to Celtic, and on Sunday the Danish striker arrived in London to complete the deal worth £11 million. Sky Sports News had cameras in place outside Biggin Hill airport just south of London when Høgh arrived, before he went on to undergo the medical test.
Since Høgh has been a regular fixture in Bodø/Glimt’s starting line-up throughout the summer months, it is expected that the medical check will only be a mere formality. Around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sky Sports News and several other sources announced that the parties had reached an agreement on the deal.
The next step for Sky Sports News’ camera crew will be to capture Høgh arriving at Glasgow Airport or Celtic Park to complete the transfer.
Read on F7: Ørjan Nyland the solution for Champions League club in a squeeze
Duran has impressed – now he gets competition
Høgh will be Celtic’s second signing of the summer, and his arrival creates an unexpected dilemma for manager Martin O’Neill. Camilo Duran, who recently joined Celtic from Qarabag, has already scored three goals in three games in pre-season. Admittedly, friendlies are not a sure indicator, but goals against Sporting Lisbon, Middlesbrough and AC Milan are not a bad start for the young attacker.
Duran has played central to the attack – precisely Høgh’s natural position. Now O’Neill faces an interesting choice: he can move Duran out to the left wing, or he can choose to play with two pure strikers. The last time Celtic had a real top attack was with Gary Hooper and Tony Stokes, and since then the club has made little use of such a formation.
Lack of wing options creates challenges
The truth is that Celtic lack real winger options. Yang Hyun-jun, Sebastian Tounekti and James Forrest serve as substitutes, but none of them appear to be solid first-team selections. In the pre-season games, they have been allowed to play for an hour before being replaced with similar players – without anyone seizing the chance to convince.
Time is running out for Martin O’Neill, who needs to find the right formation and composition before the start of the season. Celtic face Dundee, Kilmarnock and Dundee United in the next few weeks, before the team goes into the Champions League play-offs at the end of August. The two crucial playoff games will have an immediate impact on both the season and any further recruitments.
Thus, it remains to be seen how O’Neill solves the puzzle – and whether Høgh and Duran can form an attacking pair that lifts Celtic to new heights.
