Celtic loanee Bosun Lawal is ‘playing like Jude Bellingham’ at Fleetwood Town with two goals in his brand new central midfield role last weekend. 

Bursting into the penalty area and fizzing a fierce shot into the bottom corner after a rapid-fire one two, the Celtic-owned youngster certainly performed a fitting tribute to another man who has made a habit of crashing into the box with the number five on his back.

Bosun Lawal, a centre-half when he joined Fleetwood last summer, has only been playing in his new-look midfield role for a number of months. But the Republic of Ireland under-21 international already looks a natural in a more advanced position, following up that wonderfully-worked opener during Saturday’s 4-2 win over Wigan Athletic with another, equally-eye-catching finish.

Lawal doubled his career league tally in the space of just 21 minutes against The Latics, bamboozling a visiting defender with a blink-and-you-miss-it ball roll before firing home again.

Celtic loanee likened to Real Madrid superstar

“Bosun Lawal for Fleetwood, basically playing like Jude Bellingham!” EFL expert Ali Maxwell tells the Not the Top 20 podcast, drawing some rather tongue-in-cheek but not-unjustifiable

“This is a guy who is wearing the number five, signed – as we understood it – as a defender from Celtic. (Lawal) is now playing centre-mid and is playing absolutely brilliantly in all aspects of the game.

“He scored two great goals here.”

Lawal joined Celtic from Watford back in 2021. He’s made just one first-team appearance for the Glasgow giants over the last three years, and that came against Greenock Morton in the cup. Lawal’s impressive performances south of the border under former Scotland international Charlie Adam should do his chances of a more senior role with The Hoops no harm, however, especially with the jury out on the likes of Odin Thiago Holm and Tomoki Iwata.

Paulo Bernardo, meanwhile, is due to return to Portuguese giants Benfica when his loan deal ends.

Hoops planning big changes

HITC Football understands that two other members of Celtic’s senior squad could depart now, rather than in the summer. Alexandro Bernabei could return to South America with Internacional while MLS outfit Charlotte FC have struck a near-£10 million deal for Liel Abada.

HITC have been told that Celtic are trying to raise funds for top target Coaimhin Kelleher. Trabzonspor captain Ugurcan Cakir has been lined up as an alternative to the Liverpool goalkeeper.

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