Celtic Opinion: Hoops should try and win the race for versatile midfielder Mark Diemers
According to The Scotsman, Celtic are interested in signing 25-year-old midfielder Mark Diemers from Eredivisie outfit Fortuna Sittard in the summer transfer window.
The Scotsman understands that the Hoops are likely to face stiff competition in their pursuit of the versatile midfielder, with Bundesliga clubs Freiburg, Hamburg and Mainz, as well as Belgian giants Genk, all vying for the 25-year-old’s signature.
Mark Diemers enjoyed a fruitful season in the Eredivisie and racked up 7 goals and 7 assists in 34 appearances, as Fortuna Sittard secured a 15th place finish in the Dutch top-flight, just a point clear of the relegation playoffs.
The 25-year-old moved to Sittard last summer from fellow Dutch outfit De Graafschap and made an instant impact in his very first season at the club. Diemers was one of the key driving forces behind Fortuna Sittard’s march to safety in the Eredivisie this past season and his stellar run of form hasn’t gone unnoticed, with several bigger clubs in Europe weighing up moves for the midfielder.
Essentially an attacking midfielder by trade, Mark Diemers was used in a multitude of positions at Fortuna Sittard this past season, starting from central midfield to attacking midfield and also on the left-hand side as a wide player.
Noted for his good range of passing, ball distribution skills, creativity and vision, the 25-year-old covers a lot of ground and excels with crossing ability from the wide areas.
The Dutchman is a good dribbler too and knows how to create his own space in the midfield, while also combining his technical abilities with his upper body strength to hold on to the ball and create openings for his teammates. Diemers has a penchant for coming up with key passes in the final third and he is certainly a versatile and dynamic asset to any midfield.
The 25-year-old averaged 40.2 passes per game with an accuracy percentage of 82.5, including 2.5 key passes, 2.1 crosses, 1.9 successful long balls,1.4 dribbles and 1.7 tackles per game this term.
These figures show that Diemers perfectly combines the range of passing and ball distribution skills of a central midfielder, crossing ability of an out-and-out winger and vision of a specialist No.10.
To put things into perspective, it is not difficult to see why Celtic would strike gold by beating off competition for the 25-year-old Eredivisie star this summer.
The Hoops beat Rangers to claim their eight straight domestic title and are well and truly on course to securing their third successive domestic treble but they have plenty of issues to sort out ahead of the upcoming campaign.
A new centre-back and reinforcements at right-back are likely to be high on manager Neil Lennon’s wishlist for the summer but Celtic also need to invest in their midfield options.
They have the likes of Callum McGregor, Ryan Christie, Scott Brown and Tom Rogic in their ranks but Oliver Ntcham is unsettled at the club and might head for the exit door if there are suitable offers on the table. (h/t Football Scotland)
Also, given Diemer’s versatility, Celtic should look at him as someone who could provide cover for Scott Sinclair down the left.
Oliver Burke is set to return to his parent club West Brom while Timothy Weah has already confirmed his exit from Parkhead, meaning that the Dutchman could be a useful squad player due to his ability to provide cover in multiple areas of the pitch.
Having featured predominantly for lower mid-table clubs like De Graafschap, FC Utrecht, Cambuur and Fortuna Sittard over the course of his career in his homeland, Diemers doesn’t have an awe-inspiring profile, but at 25, there is still plenty of time left for him to make significant improvements to his game.
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His versatility is one of his key assets and Celtic could have a really useful squad player in their ranks if they manage to win the race for him.
