“They have everything that you would want in a top European side – speed, strength, power and technique.” Brendan Rodgers, November 2024 ahead of Celtic’s Champions League win over RB Leipzig, possibly the best performance of last season.
And it may explain why the manager has opted to start Benjamin Nygren ahead of Arnie Engels so far in the league this season.
Nygren’s pace, power and technique was crucial to Celtic’s win against Aberdeen on Sunday as the Swede scored his first goal and set up Reo Hatate for the second.
It was a performance that bodes well, especially given Nicolas Kuhn’s 21 goals and 15 assists from last season are no longer an option. Rodgers and Celtic will miss that contribution, any club would.
And in 2023/2024 Matt O’Riley contributed 20 goals and 20 assists from midfield in a stand out season that caught the attention of clubs across Europe and earned him a £25 million move to Brighton. And possibly onto Italy this month.
It’s early days of course for Nygren, the 24-year-old having just arrived for around £1.3m million from Nordsjaelland in a move that many said was a bargain.
But as we know that prediction doesn’t always work out so well.
Billed as a winger on arrival, Nygren impressed from midfield on Sunday alongside Hatate and Callum McGregor.
With the front three struggling to make the break through against Aberdeen, Nygren drifted into the box unmarked and managed to get on the end of Keiran Tierney’s cross after 27 minutes.
In the second half the Swede once again managed to find space unmarked, on the right wing this time, to tee up Hatate on the edge of the box for his phenomenal finish.
Benji looks like a cracking bit of business.
1.5M? Fair play.
— 20 Minute Tims (@20MinuteTims) August 10, 2025
Three goals in two league games so far this season for Celtic, all from midfielders, picking up the slack until the forward line clicks into gear, with or without reinforcements arriving.
The team are going to have to continue without Jota until the new year and there is still no sign of replacements for Kyogo and Kuhn.
And that means goal contributions from midfield are going to be essential again this season.
Sunday was an impressive display from Nygren, demonstrating that he could well be the man to contribute some of those goals and assists.
Now Rodgers has three home games in eight days in different competitions and the opportunity to set the tone for the season ahead.
Friday night sees Falkirk arrive for a Premier Sports Cup tie and on August 23 we host Livingston in the league.
In between those games we have the first leg of our Champions League qualifier against either Slovan Bratislava or Kairat, a tie that could define the season.
Having reached the knockout round of the Champions League last season, and more than lived with Bayern Munich at the level, failing to qualify for this year’s league phase would be a huge blow.
Kuhn contributed massively to that run in the Champions League last year, his goal at the Allianz Arena to put us ahead was a huge moment given our struggles in Europe lately.
It may well be too much to expect Nygren to be able to step up at Champions League level and supply the goals that left with Kuhn when he moved to Como last month. That however is the level of transfer activity that Rodgers is aiming for, in the Swede it looks like he could succeed.
But then again, there is no better stage to establish yourself in a Celtic team that is crying out for new players to grab the opportunity, grab a shirt and make it their own.
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1990s money lol
— CeltiCRab Celtic Nations 🏴 & Pict 🍀 (@CeltiCRab19671) August 11, 2025
Yeah, although now we’ll need to hear Crocker tell us that Benji is the latest in a long line of Swedes at Celtic literally every single week. I’m expecting him to phone me at work and tell me tbh.
— Colin Occupants (@DrBucksLadder) August 10, 2025
he wouldve been good business at 5m as well, but the board wouldnt have bought him at that price because if its not a cut price deal, its not value in their eyes
— Salvia Bucket (@salviabucket) August 10, 2025
Looks like he’s going to be good alright
However… are we decided on “Benji” ?
I understand these things can take hold within the support and there is no changing
But, I think I dislike it as much as I disliked “frimmers”
— Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace (Barry PM) (@Ltm67) August 10, 2025
Full credit for 2 incredible signings (although, 1 is just lucky cos he wanted back home). Doesn’t excuse the reluctance to sign 2/3 other top players which we clearly need.
— Michael Harkin (@Michael24920214) August 10, 2025
He’s worth 8m but his contract running out got us a bargain for sure HH
— K9Crypto ױ (@k9cryptoo) August 11, 2025
