According to Spanish outlet Marca, Celtic are amongst a number of clubs who have been put to Atletico Madrid prospect Rodrigo Riquelme as a potential destination this summer, while fierce rivals Rangers have also been mentioned as a new home for the playmaker – the report states that both clubs have ‘knocked on the door’ of the Spanish club.
Riquelme is very highly-rated at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium and has already made his first-team debut in the Spanish capital, coming off the bench to appear in La Liga against Eibar – Diego Simeone also took him on the club’s pre-season tour back in the summer.
Hoffenheim, as well as clubs from England and the Netherlands, are also believed to be interested in the 19-year-old.
The Atletico Madrid prodigy is out of contract in the summer and is yet to sign a new deal – being available on a free would negate his current release clause which is believed to be around €30m (£26.3m).
Riquelme has netted seven goals and also had six assists across all competitions and age levels this season, including three assists in one UEFA Youth League encounter against Rangers.
So, would signing the teenager be a good move for Celtic and Peter Lawwell? Football FanCast’s writers have their say…
Billy Meyers
“I think it goes without saying that, in all honesty, it is harder for Celtic and other Scottish clubs to attract ready-made talent from the top drawer, tending to lose out to clubs from England, Germany and others in Europe’s top five leagues.
“As a result, I think that this move should be viewed as a priority for Celtic in terms of snapping up the next big thing before they actually become the next big thing – the Hoops have a great chance to be one step ahead of the game if they propose an attractive offer to the talented teenager.”
Kealan Hughes
“This move would be quite a puzzling one for both player and club, as Celtic ought to be looking at options who could almost guarantee that they’d take the side to another level – one where they are capable of beating teams such as Copenhagen.
“Celtic failed in Europe with first-teamers like James Forrest and Ryan Christie playing, and with Riquelme playing in the same positions but lacking a similar level of experience, it seems like he wouldn’t be an upgrade at all.
“Added to that, while he holds long-term potential, he could struggle to fulfil that under Neil Lennon, who has used other youngsters sparingly. Marian Shved has played in just three game this season and remains a surprisingly anonymous figure, so it is difficult to understand the manager’s thinking on this one.”
Danny Lewis “This is an exciting move for Celtic, but it does pose a risk to Karamoko Dembele and his route to regular senior football. At 17 years of age, he has already made waves and has also managed to make three first-team appearances for the Bhoys – on top of representing the youth teams of both Scotland and England. “Therefore, he is clearly somebody who is highly talented and can be nurtured into a player who could potentially become a regular for the side. With that in mind, it may be a risky tactic to bring someone in who could disrupt his game time.”Lewis Blain “Celtic clinching Riquelme would be a touch of genius from Peter Lawwell and co, especially if they are to right the wrongs of crashing out of the Europa League last month. Signing any player from a team as prestigious as Atletico Madrid should be regarded as a positive sign, even more so if he’s one for the future. The 19-year-old has been dubbed as the in-house replacement for Antoine Griezmann. “Both his “raw ability” and “incredible vision” have also been noted in the past, via Goal. The Spanish giants’ former academy director Miguel Angel Ruiz has waxed lyrical about him too, saying: “Is he like Griezmann? The Frenchman I consider more a second striker. Juninho? The Brazilian was lighter, but Riquelme has a fast pace change, and Juno didn’t have that power.” Well, if the young starlet is half the player of the two names above, then Celtic will have one hell of a talent on their hands.”
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In other news, John Hartson has posted a playful eight-word tweet aimed at Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton…
