Celtic have endured a frustrating few weeks on the pitch, which has included four goalless draws in all competitions for Brendan Rodgers and his players.
They were held to 0-0 draws in regulation time of both legs of their Champions League qualifying clash with Kairat, to a 0-0 draw in the Old Firm match, and a 0-0 draw in the most recent game against Hibernian.
As shown in the highlights above, Celtic missed a host of huge chances to open the scoring in front of their own fans at Parkhead, with Kelechi Iheanacho, in particular, wasteful in front of goal.
Scoring goals is not the only issue that the Hoops have had this season, though, because they have also failed to find a suitable alternative to captain Callum McGregor.
The 32-year-old defensive midfielder has started ten of his 11 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions, per Transfermarkt, and played 931 minutes.
This shows that Rodgers has not found an alternative to the skipper who can step in and allow the veteran midfielder to rest and recharge ahead of important matches.
Why Celtic need an alternative to Callum McGregor
The Hoops need to find a player who can be a viable option in the number six position because the wear and tear on McGregor’s legs was evident in the recent 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League.
Celtic’s captain had played almost an hour against a lower league outfit in the League Cup in the game before the trip to Serbia, having played 300 minutes in the three matches before that, per Sofascore.
Minutes
90
Pass accuracy
98%
Defensive ground duels won
2/6
Aerial duels won
0/1
Tackles won
1
Dribbled past
1x
Fouls committed
2
The result, as you can see in the table above, was that McGregor looked a little bit off the pace against the Serbian giants, losing five of his seven defensive duels on the ground and in the air.
His passing, as usual, was almost immaculate, completing 98% of his attempted passes, but he lacked the mobility and energy to win the majority of his physical duels, which is a cause for concern heading into the rest of the league phase in Europe.
The former Scotland international is a crucial player for the Hoops and keeping him fresh and ready to give his all in the Europa League matches could improve his performances and increase the team’s chances of picking up more points on the European stage.
Johnny Hayes described the left-footed maestro as a “priceless” and “irreplaceable” player earlier this season, but the Hoops are now looking at a star who could solve the McGregor conundrum.
Celtic eyeing surprise move for free agent
According to journalist Mark Hendry’s Substack report, Celtic are considering a surprise move to sign free agent central midfielder Pierre Ekwah, despite not being linked with any midfield signings since the window slammed shut.
The outlet claims that the Hoops have been offered the chance to sign the French midfield maestro after his contract with Saint-Etienne was ripped up at the end of the summer transfer window.
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Celtic already took advantage of a similar situation when they signed Kelechi Iheanacho the day after the transfer window slammed shut, thanks to Sevilla ripping his deal up on deadline day.
Ekwah, like Iheanacho was before his move to Parkhead, is now free and available to sign for a new club. Mark Hendry’s report states that he has been offered to both Celtic and Rangers as an option.
The Scottish Premiership champions are now considering whether or not to take up the option to bring the left-footed star to Parkhead on a freebie, but they should push to get a deal done because he could be a dream alternative to McGregor.
Why Celtic should sign Pierre Ekwah
Celtic should be bringing Ekwah in on a free transfer because it is a low-risk move that could pay off big time in the long run, given that he is a player who has already proven himself in a major European league.
The 23-year-old star impressed in Ligue 1 with Saint-Etienne in the 2024/25 campaign on loan from Sunderland, but decided to move on from the French club after they were relegated to Ligue 2 and activated their obligation to sign him permanently.
Ekwah seemingly was not keen on playing in the second division in France, hence his exit at the start of September, and that is not a surprise when you consider how well he performed last season in spite of his club’s relegation.
Appearances
29
Pass accuracy
88%
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.6
Error led to goal
0
Duel success rate
57%
Duels won per game
5.0
Aerial duel success rate
71%
As you can see in the table above, the former West Ham United youngster won the majority of his duels on the deck and in the air, whilst remaining reliable and composed in possession with a pass accuracy of 88%.
Ekwah ranked within the top 11% of midfielders in Ligue 1 for duels won (145), the top 17% for tackles won (57), the top 3% for interceptions (47), and the top 8% for ball recoveries (157), per FotMob.
These statistics show that the left-footed star is a mobile defensive enforcer in the number six role. He can get around the pitch to dominate opposition players in duels, whilst being reliable with the ball at his feet on top of that.
The free agent midfielder, who was described as a “powerful” player by journalist and Sunderland fan Josh Bunting, could be the perfect alternative to McGregor to provide the skipper with some time off in domestic matches ahead of European ties.
Rodgers could play Ekwah from the start in league or cup matches before Europa League games, which Ekwah would be ineligible for, to make sure that McGregor is fully fit and raring to go in the big European matches.
At the age of 23, the French star is also nine years younger than the captain and could be the long-term successor to his place in the team, which is another reason why this free agent move could be a shrewd piece of business by the club.
Overall, Celtic must move quickly to beat Rangers to Ekwah’s signature because his arrival at Parkhead could solve the McGregor conundrum at the base of the midfield.