Celtic are preparing for their second match of the Scottish Premiership season as they travel away from Parkhead to take on Hibernian this afternoon.
The Hoops won 4-0 against Kilmarnock on the opening day of the campaign, thanks to goals from Reo Hatate, Liam Scales, Nicolas Kuhn, and Anthony Ralston.
Whilst Brendan Rodgers will be focused on the game, work is still going on behind the scenes to make further additions in the summer transfer window.
The Scottish giants are reportedly in talks with Norwich City to secure a permanent deal for Adam Idah and they are also looking to bring in another midfielder.
Celtic plotting swoop for Premier League midfielder
According to Football Insider, Celtic are plotting to ‘hijack’ Rangers’ pursuit of a deal for Manchester United central midfielder Hannibal Mejbri this month.
The report claims that the Hoops are working to land a swoop for the Tunisia international to bolster their options in the middle of the park, amid interest from their Glasgow rivals.
It states that the Red Devils are prepared to part ways with the academy graduate for a ‘significant’ fee, whilst it has previously been reported that they would want an offer within the region of £7m.
The outlet adds that Hannibal would be interested in signing for either of the Scottish sides due to the attraction of playing in European competitions, which means that it could be up to Celtic to convince him that they are the better option.
If the Premiership champions can convince him to make the move to Parkhead, though, then he could shine alongside Idah – if they also land the Irishman – at the top end of the pitch.
Why Hannibal would be perfect for Idah
The Tunisian maestro would be the perfect midfielder to supply the Ireland international with the high-quality chances he needs to find the back of the net.
Hannibal, who was once described as an “absolute baller” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could be an exciting player for the Hoops supporters to watch in action, due to his dynamic and creative play in the middle of the park.
The 21-year-old star caught the eye at the top end of the pitch at youth level for Manchester United, with six goals and 17 assists in 41 appearances for the U21 side.
His creativity could be a dream for Idah as the potential Celtic signing showcased his superb finishing skills in the Premiership last season.
Hannibal ranked within the top 10% of his positional peers in the Championship for Expected Assisted Goals (0.18) per 90 on loan with Birmingham during the 2022/23 campaign, which shows that he can consistently create high-quality chances – as further evidenced by his return at U21 level.
Therefore, Hannibal and Idah could end up being an exciting duo on the pitch for Celtic, due to the former’s creativity and the latter’s finishing, if they can get both deals over the line.
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