The summer transfer window officially opened for business last month and Celtic are yet to complete their first signing to bolster Martin O’Neill‘s squad.
Despite exiting the Champions League at the play-off stage and needing till the last day to win the Scottish Premiership title, the Hoops have not been quick out of the gates to improve their squad.
The Scottish giants should be in the market to improve their attack after only two of their players hit double figures for goals and none of their players registered more than eight assists.
They are still looking for their next star who can offer goals and assists in equal measure on a regular basis, in the same way that Matt O’Riley did during his time at the club.
The Denmark international was sold to Brighton & Hove Albion for a club-record fee of £25m in the summer of 2024, after scoring 27 goals and providing 35 assists in 124 games in all competitions at Parkhead.
Celtic to ramp up pursuit of Premiership star
O’Riley produced an eye-catching 18 goals and 13 assists in the Premiership in the 2023/24 campaign for Brenden Rogers, which earned him a record transfer to the Premier League.
Now, the Premiership champions are reportedly looking at a player who could arrive at Parkhead as a player with shades of O’Riley ahead of next season.
According to CelticShorts, Celtic are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign Motherwell right winger Elijah Just in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Hoops are expected to ramp up their efforts to land the New Zealand international after his country were eliminated from the World Cup after the group stage.
It adds that the Scottish side have been keeping tabs on his performances since the start of last season when he first made the move to Fir Park.
However, CelticShorts also reveals that there are teams from Ligue 1 and the English Championship considering moves for the 26-year-old talent, which means that it will not be an easy deal to complete.
How Elijah Just can emulate Matt O’Riley at Celtic
O’Riley was such a big hit at Parkhead, in part, because he provided both goals and assists on a regular basis, hitting double figures for both in the 2023/24 season.
The Danish playmaker, who typically played as a central midfielder or as a number ten, offered a constant threat at the top end of the pitch and left defenders guessing, as they knew that he was as likely to shoot and score as he was to pass and assist.
Just’s performances for Motherwell in the Premiership in the 2025/26 campaign suggest that he has the potential to be a similar kind of player for the Hoops if he joins the club this summer.
|
25/26 Premiership |
Elijah Just |
Rank vs RWs |
|---|---|---|
|
xG |
6.63 |
Top 11% |
|
Goals |
7 |
Top 17% |
|
Big chances created |
11 |
Top 8% |
|
Chances created |
49 |
Top 9% |
|
xA |
6.77 |
Top 6% |
|
Assists |
7 |
Top 8% |
The left-footed star, who can play on either flank or as a number ten, produced goals and assists in equal measure in the Premiership, and outperformed his xG.
These statistics suggest that he has the potential to thrive in a Celtic team that dominates matches and would see him get more of the ball in dangerous areas, possibly helping him to reach double figures for both goals and assists.
Just, who was described as the “best player” in the Premiership by national team boss Darren Bazeley, also caught the eye at the World Cup for his country, despite their early exit.
The Celtic target scored three goals in three games during the group stage for New Zealand, scoring twice against Iran and scoring in a defeat to Belgium.
He has showcased his quality in both the Premiership and the World Cup over the past nine months or so, and should be in the prime years of his career at the age of 26.
Celtic, therefore, should continue to push to win the race for his signature ahead of teams from Ligue 1 and the Championship, because he could be O’Neill’s own version of O’Riley in the 2026/27 campaign.
The Motherwell star has the quality to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis in the Scottish top-flight and could be a terrific addition to the squad as a consistent attacking force, but it is now down to the club to ensure that they get a deal over the line in the coming weeks.
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