Breaking News: Celtic squad’s Adam Idah view, Mourinho links and wild Haaland shout as… Read More.
Celtic squad’s Adam Idah view, Mourinho links and wild Haaland shout as… Read More.
Celtic have made a significant investment to secure Adam Idah from Norwich City in a deal worth £8.5 million upfront, with the potential to rise by an additional £1 million through add-ons. This transfer marks a major move for the club and represents a substantial financial commitment. The initial bid for Idah was reportedly less than half of what the final deal amounted to, leading some fans to express surprise at the price tag. However, there are compelling reasons behind this investment.
Adam Idah, a 23-year-old Republic of Ireland international, played a crucial role in Celtic’s success last season, contributing significantly to their domestic double. One of his standout moments was scoring the winning goal in the Scottish Cup final against Rangers at Hampden Park. His overall performance during his loan spell was impressive, with nine goals in 19 appearances, despite only seven of those being starts. This form convinced Celtic’s management that Idah was worth potentially breaking the club’s transfer record to bring him in permanently.
Idah’s impact on the pitch was mirrored by his influence in the Celtic dressing room. Despite joining the squad during the winter transfer window, he quickly became a popular figure among his teammates. His positive presence off the pitch was noted by many, including his international teammate Liam Scales, who spoke highly of him. Scales emphasized Idah’s value not just as a player but as a person, describing him as someone who always brought a good mood and plenty of humor to the dressing room. Scales mentioned that Idah was well-liked and contributed to the team’s camaraderie, even describing him as great company on a night out.
Kyogo Furuhashi, Celtic’s first-choice forward with whom Idah shared minutes last season, also expressed his admiration for the young striker. After the Scottish Cup final, Kyogo praised Idah for his performances and expressed the hope that he would stay at Celtic. Kyogo’s comments underscored the friendly competition between the two, highlighting the mutual respect and support within the squad.
Idah has even drawn comparisons to Manchester City’s goal machine Erling Haaland, one of the highest compliments a striker can receive in the current era. Irish football legend Roddy Collins made headlines when he claimed that Idah possesses “many more attributes” than Haaland. While acknowledging that Haaland is superior in finishing—one of the most critical aspects of a striker’s game—Collins argued that Idah is better in several other areas, such as work rate, linking play, and picking out passes. However, Collins also pointed out that Haaland’s exceptional ability to score goals sets him apart, making him worth far more on the transfer market.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has a history of getting the best out of his strikers, having previously worked with top talents like Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge during his time at Liverpool. Rodgers will be keen to harness Idah’s potential and help him develop the finishing skills that could elevate him to an elite level. Given Rodgers’ track record, there is optimism that he can refine the weaker aspects of Idah’s game and maximize his contributions to the team.
Adam Idah’s talent has been recognized at various stages of his career. He was a prolific scorer at the youth level, notably scoring a hat-trick in just 10 minutes during an FA Youth Cup match for Norwich City. His performances earned him the under-18 player of the season and academy player of the year awards at Norwich. Additionally, Idah regularly found the back of the net for Ireland’s U17s, further establishing his reputation as a promising young striker.
His goal-scoring ability even caught the attention of Jose Mourinho during his time as Manchester United manager. According to reports from Italian outlet Calciomercato, Mourinho was interested in signing the young talent, who was often compared to strikers like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Harry Kane due to his imposing 6’3″ frame. Although a move to Manchester United never materialized, the fact that a manager of Mourinho’s caliber saw potential in Idah speaks volumes about his abilities.
Celtic now hope that under Brendan Rodgers’ guidance, Adam Idah will fulfill the promise that has been evident throughout his career. With the club willing to make such a significant investment in him, expectations will be high, but there is confidence that Idah has what it takes to meet them and become a key figure in Celtic’s pursuit of further success in the coming years.
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