Why Jamal Lowe would be a good signing for Celtic
According to Portsmouth News (h/t Wales Online), Celtic are one of the clubs to be credited with an interest in Wigan Athletic winger Jamal Lowe, who is expected to be sold by the Latics this summer due to their financial difficulties.
EFL Championship promotion hopefuls Swansea City are also in the race to sign the 26-year-old, who was left out of Wigan’s latest pre-season friendly at the weekend. (Portsmouth News h/t Wales Online)
Wigan have already sold the likes of Antonee Robinson, Joe Gelhardt, and Jensen Weir to Premier League clubs after entering administration.
Profile
Having featured for several non-league clubs earlier in his career, Jamal Lowe enjoyed his breakthrough in the Football League system following his move to Portsmouth back in 2016.
The 26-year-old guided the south coast club to a promotion-winning campaign in League Two and bagged 15 goals in the third-tier during the 2018-19 season before earning a move to the Championship with Wigan Athletic back in the summer of 2019.
Lowe initially struggled to make an impact in the English second-tier but gradually made the step up and finished the 2019-20 campaign with a respectable tally of 6 goals and 5 assists in 46 appearances.
Celtic’s wide attacking options
Celtic have wrapped up some early business in the summer window after cruising home to their ninth consecutive domestic league title last season. The Hoops have already bolstered their attack with the acquisition of Swiss striker Albian Ajeti from West Ham while goalkeeper Vasilios Barkas has also joined the ranks.
With Ajeti competing with Odsonne Edouard, Patryk Klimala, and Leigh Griffiths for the No.9 role, Neil Lennon currently has enough competition for places up top. However, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the gaffer to bring in some fresh faces down the wide areas.
Celtic have James Forrest and Mohamed Elyounoussi as their specialist wide options, with Lennon also preferring Ryan Christie to operate down the flanks. However, the Hoops don’t have much depth out wide beyond their regular players, having lost the likes of Scott Sinclair, Jonny Hayes, and Lewis Morgan in recent transfer windows.
Mikey Johnston remains an exciting prospect but he has struggled with injuries. It goes without saying that Celtic need another versatile winger to ensure the right kind of depth.
Why Lowe could be the answer
Jamal Lowe showcased the versatility to play out wide on either flank and also through the middle as an attacking midfielder over the course of his debut season in the Championship last term.
The 26-year-old’s ability to operate in multiple roles in the final third should hand a significant boost to Celtic’s squad depth and team dynamics. The Hoops need adequate cover to cope with the challenge of having to compete on multiple fronts.
Read more
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- Opinion: Celtic signing Lyle Taylor would save them from unnecessary spending
- Why Celtic should ramp up their pursuit of Ivan Toney
Verdict
Lowe still has his best years ahead of him at 26 and Wigan’s financial struggles mean that the Scottish champions have every reason to fancy their chances of signing him up.
