Celtic could look to bolster their midfield options this month after the January transfer window opened for business at the start of last week.
It was recently reported by HITC that the Hoops are one of the clubs interested in a swoop to sign LDU Quito defensive midfielder Oscar Zambrano.
The outlet claimed that Celtic and Rangers are both keeping tabs on the impressive youngster but are yet to make a formal approach for his services.
Whereas, Premier League side Bournemouth are in ‘advanced’ talks to secure a deal for the Ecuadorian whiz, who has been likened to Chelsea star and compatriot Moises Caicedo.
The Sun have since claimed that the Cherries and Luton are both prepared to pay £5.5m for him, but the hold-up is due to an issue regarding a 15% sell-on clause that would be owed to the teenage talent that his club want him to waive.
If the Hoops can win the race for his signature then Brendan Rodgers could land his next version of Leicester City battler Wilfred Ndidi.
Ndidi’s last full season with Rodgers in numbers
The pair’s last full season together came during the 2021/22 campaign as the Nigeria international made 19 Premier League appearances in midfield for the Foxes.
Ndidi showcased his immense defensive quality with 5.4 tackles and interceptions made per game and a duel success rate of 54% in the top-flight.
| Ndidi vs Premier League midfielders in 21/22 (via FBref) | |
|---|---|
| Statistic (per 90) | Percentile rank |
| Tackles (3.34) | Top 3% |
| Interceptions (2.34) | Top 1% |
| Clearances (3.00) | Top 2% |
| Blocks (2.00) | Top 5% |
He also completed 80% of his attempted passes and did not contribute with a single goal or assist to help his team at the top end of the pitch, which illustrates how much the defensive midfielder focused on keeping the opposition out.
The following campaign, Ndidi averaged 3.7 tackles and interceptions per match across 27 matches for Leicester as they were relegated under a combination of Rodgers and Dean Smith.
The statistics that show why Zambrano could be Ndidi 2.0
Celtic’s head coach could unearth his next version of the Foxes star by snapping up Zambrano, who has the potential to be an excellent midfielder.
At the age of 19, the £5.5m-rated enforcer is not the finished article and, therefore, may not be able to match the defensive output that Ndidi was able to produce in his peak years for Rodgers.
However, his form for Ecuador at the U20 World Cup last year suggests that he has the basic tools to operate effectively as a number six.
Zambrano averaged 4.3 tackles and interceptions per match and won 55% of his duels across four appearances for his country at the tournament.
However, he only managed 2.0 tackles and interceptions per clash across 24 Serie A matches for his side during the 2023 campaign, which suggests that the Hoops target is still getting to grips with first-team football and that there is still development needed for him to excel in a senior setting.
The teenage whiz, who was once hailed as “unbelievable” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, also showcased his creativity with 2.3 key passes per game at the U20 World Cup.
Ndidi has averaged 0.5 key passes per match throughout his career and this suggests that Zambrano could offer more in possession whilst also being able to cut out opposition attacks at an impressive rate with tackles and interceptions.
However, there is no guarantee that the 19-year-old machine will be able to translate and build on his U20 World Cup form to senior level and that is a risk Rodgers may need to take to unearth his next Ndidi in the years to come.
GET MORE NEWS HERE