Early this afternoon the name of Maik Nawrocki was brought to the attention of Celtic supporters.
As is increasingly the case Celtic transfer stories often first surface in foreign media with the Nawrocki link appearing as a Legia Warsaw story, the club that Josip Juranovic was signed from two years ago.
The Eastern European markets are ones that Celtic can generally operate in as the Juranovic case illustrates with the hoops offering a higher profile, Champions League football and a transfer to a top Bundesliga club in less than 18 months.
Ideally Celtic would like to hold on to players for two years or more but as Jota, Juranovic and Giorgos Giakoumakis proved there are always exceptions.
Anyone watching Celtic last season knew that the defence was the area easiest to strengthen with that feeling reinforced when Cameron Carter-Vickers was forced to miss the last six games as he recovered from knee surgery.
Brendan Rodgers saw it first hand on Wednesday against Yokohama F Marinos but it shouldn’t have been any surprise to the returning manager.
Finding another Carter-Vickers would be perfect but in Nawrocki it seems that Celtic’s recruitment team have found a robust, reliable defender with the potential to improve and possibly move on. Sensibly Legia are looking for a 20% sell on clause, after signing Jota with a 30% sell on the Legia demands aren’t excessive.
Reading between the lines and through Google Translate, Celtic fan Eryk Szymczak has broken down the offers that are on the table at Legia for Nawrocki.
From looking into Legia/Poland sources, Galatasaray offered €3.5mil + €1.2 mil in add ons. Legia looking for bigger sell on fee. Celtics offer is understood to be at €5-€6 mil with 20% sell-on fee which Legia are liking better. Personal terms already agreed with both clubs https://t.co/TrC3lyf4GV
— Eryk Szymczak (@SzymczakEryk) July 20, 2023
Co do odejścia Maika Nawrockiego: trzeba pamiętać, ze Werder Brema wpisał w umowie transferowej prawo pierwokupu obrońcy. To ważne w kontekście najbliższych dni
— Paweł Gołaszewski (@golaszewski_p) July 19, 2023
TRANSLATION: As for the departure of Maik Nawrocki it must be remembered that Werder Bremen entered the defender’s right of pre-emption in the transfer contract. This is important in the context of the coming days
🆕Do gry o Maika Nawrockiego oprócz Galatasaray wszedł tez Celtic Glasgow. Wyglada na to, ze to już naprawdę ostatnie dni obrońcy w Legii Warszawa
— Paweł Gołaszewski (@golaszewski_p) July 20, 2023
TRANSLATION: Apart from Galatasaray, Celtic Glasgow entered the game for Maik Nawrocki. It seems that these are really the last days of the defender in Legia Warsaw.
It is now seven weeks since the Scottish Cup was won at Hampden, and just over a fortnight until the SPFL opener at home to Ross County. It is unlikely that Nawrocki or anyone else will be flying into Japan to play against Gamba Osaka on Saturday which leaves two pre-season matches before the serious stuff begins.
With the club reporting unexpectedly high turnover to the Stock Market and apparently now having a proper recruitment operation the new manager should be getting some ready made players for the first team, not just £1.5m prospects with less than 100 senior appearances to their name.
Rodgers will have his own ideas on what is needed, the deals for Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio suggest that his thinking is already aligned with the Recruitment Team.
What is needed now is another Carter-Vickers or Alistair Johnston, that is a pretty high bench mark but Celtic like to portray themselves as a Champions League club, recruiting like one is long overdue.
Yesterday Rodgers quickly dismissed interest in Gemio striker Ferreira and Future FC midfielder Mohamed Reda but those stories were instigated by Football Scotland and Sky Sports- both a long way from Brazil and Egypt.
The hoops boss will be on media duties tomorrow but it will mainly be promotional work for the Celtic brand ahead of playing Gamba Osaka, after Saturday’s match the Daily Record and Sun are likely to get a slot to ask about transfer activities.
Rodgers is at his best on the training ground, working with and developing players, the other aspects have been delegated and generally successfully executed over the last two years.
If it isn’t to be Nawrocki then someone else with a similar profile is needed quickly if Rodgers is to deliver in the areas suggested when he took up the task of replacing Ange Postecoglou.
