Albian Ajeti (Getty Images)
According to Sky Sports, Celtic have made an inquiry over the possibility of signing West Ham forward Albian Ajeti in the summer.
Ajeti, 23, rose through the ranks of FC Basel in his homeland and played for clubs like Augsburg and St. Gallen before rejoining his boyhood team in the summer of 2017. He scored 14 league goals in each of the two campaigns since his return to the Swiss giants and earned a move to the Premier League with West Ham last summer.
In London, he has failed to make an impression and has been frustrated with the lack of game time. The youngster has fallen down the pecking order under David Moyes. Thus, Celtic should make a move for him this summer after missing out on Ajeti to the Hammers two transfer windows back.
Hoops boss Neil Lennon has managed to get the best out of his players and has succeeded in helping the club win their 9th league title in a row when the season came to an abrupt end. However, the manager will be hoping to make it 10 next season.
Star striker Odsonne Edouard displayed a masterclass performance throughout the campaign, scoring 21 league goals. He was successful in leading the team’s attack. He finished as the top scorer of the league and has been one of their best strikers in the last couple of seasons.
Former Scotland international Leigh Griffiths also played his part well, scoring 9 goals in the league and providing 4 assists. The manager did bring in Patryk Klimala in January to bolster their attack but before the Polish youngster could make a difference, the league was called off.
However, the Hoops are facing a risk of selling their star forward Edouard, who has attracted a lot of attention from the Premier League. Thus, they need to bring in a centre-forward if the Frenchman exits the club in the following months.
To that end, Ajeti would be a viable option for the club. The Swiss international crossed the double-figure mark in each of the last three Super League campaigns. However, he has not been up to the mark in England due to the lack of opportunities. But the youngster is capable of doing well with the right amount of game time.
He is just 23 and still has a lot of room for development. A natural centre-forward, Ajeti needs time to improve himself and if Lennon is able to be patient with him, the forward could be a crucial player for the Scottish giants in the upcoming campaigns. His inclusion would provide them with some much-needed depth, whilst also bringing in healthy competition to the squad.
With Edouard attracting interest across Europe and the inefficiency of Vakoun Issouf Bayo, it is clear that they are in dire need of strikers to bolster their squad. And, at the same time, Ajeti needs to move on from East London if he wants to develop his career. Thus, Celtic making a move for the Swiss international could pay off well for both the club and the player.
