Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers returned to Parkhead for a second spell at the club in the summer of 2023, after Ange Postecoglou left to join Tottenham Hotspur.
The Northern Irish head coach was met with immediate problems to deal with as Carl Starfelt and Jota were both sold in his first summer transfer window.
As you can see in the graphic above, the Portuguese forward had been brilliant for Postecoglou in the previous two Scottish Premiership seasons, but Rodgers was unable to enjoy his talents in his first season in charge as the winger joined Al Ittihad for £25m.
Thankfully, Celtic re-signed Jota from Rennes for £8m, six months after he had left Al Ittihad to join Rennes, and the Hoops boss has been able to call upon the exciting attacker in recent weeks.
The ex-Benfica starlet has scored four goals, created three ‘big chances’, and provided two assists in six Premiership starts since his winter return to Parkhead.
Jota is not the only talented Celtic winger who Rodgers was unable to see the best of upon his return to the club, though, as Liel Abada also falls into that category.
Why Liel Abada left Celtic
Whilst no exact reason was given for his departure from the Scottish giants, there are plenty of clues as to why the decision was made by all parties.
After playing nine times for Rodgers in the league during the first half of the 2023/24 campaign, Abada was left out of the squad and the manager explained that he was not ready to play due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Around that time, the BBC wrote that ‘Abada faced pressure from compatriots to leave Celtic following some fans’ show of support for Palestinian people and has sat out the Scottish champions’ latest five games’, which provided further context around his departure.
Abada even admitted that leaving the club was not in his “plans”, suggesting that it was in reaction to the events that had occurred, rather than something that had been in the works for months.
The winger also stated that the “past six months” had been a “personal challenge” for him prior to his move to Charlotte FC in January of last year, with all of these factors leading to him deciding to leave the club.
Appearances
36
34
9
Starts
24
13
5
Goals
10
10
1
Big chances created
13
10
2
Assists
6
5
1
As you can see in the table above, the personal issues that Abada, unfortunately, dealt with meant that Rodgers did not get to see the best of his ability on the pitch, as he had previously proven his quality in the Premiership in his first two seasons at Parkhead.
Whilst it seems unlikely, for the possible reasons behind his exit from Glasgow, that the winger will return to Celtic in the same way that Jota did, the Hoops could sign Abada 2.0 this summer.
Celtic eyeing swoop for Stoke star
According to The Scottish Sun, the Scottish giants have identified Stoke City dynamo Million Manhoef as a potential target for the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims Rodgers is plotting a swoop to sign the 23-year-old forward from the English Championship side to bolster his options in the wide areas ahead of next season.
It states that the Potters signed the Dutch attacker from Vitesse for a fee of £3m, but does not mention how much they would want to cash in on him this summer – if they would just look to recoup the money they spent on him or if they would want a profit on that £3m outlay.
The Scottish Sun adds that Honduras international Luis Palma, who is currently on loan at Olympiacos, is set to move on from the club this summer and that the Hoops needed extra depth on the wing, which is why Manhoef has been identified.
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Rodgers could, now, land his own version of Abada by swooping to sign the Championship whiz, whose performances have led to comparisons with the former Celtic star.
Why Manhoef could be Abada 2.0
As per FBref, the Charlotte FC star is the most similar player to Manhoef in the Men’s Next 14 Competitions (outside the five major leagues) based on their respective performances over the last 365 days.
As you can see in the chart above, both wingers peak in similar areas of the game as they both rack up non-penalty xG and like to progress play through carries and successful take-ons.
This suggests that they are both wingers who are exciting for supporters to watch because of their ability to commit opposition defenders and get fans off their seats with dribbles, whilst they also boast exceptional positioning to put themselves in high-quality positions to score.
Manhoef, who claimed he was pushed into “kickboxing” and even became a youth champion in the sport before pursuing football, joined Stoke midway through the 2023/24 campaign and hit the ground running in English football with a return of four goals and one assist in nine starts in the Championship.
He has not quite kicked on, pardon the pun, as a goalscorer in the current season but he has shown glimpses of his potential in the final third, particularly as a creative threat.
Appearances
31
Starts
25
xG
7.19
Goals
4
Big chances created
10
Key passes per game
1.6
Assists
5
As you can see in the table above, Manhoef should have more assists to his name this season and has been let down by wasteful finishing from his teammates, with just five assists from ten ‘big chances’ created.
However, he has also let his teammates down with his own wasteful finishing, scoring four goals from 7.19 xG, and that is an area of the dynamo’s game that has to improve.
At the age of 23, Manhoef has plenty of time left to develop and improve and could be a long-term signing for Celtic, as a player who could grow under Rodgers’ coaching.
His statistics over the past year already suggest that he could be Abada 2.0 for the Hoops, though, and that is why they should swoop to bring him in to compete for a spot on the flank next season.
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