Liam Boyce has been in prolific form for Ross County this season – but is he good enough to make the grade at Celtic?
Celtic may be used to having things their own way in Scotland at the moment but, with just two fixtures left this season, there may be one gong they won’t get their hand on.
As it stands, Bhoys winger Scott Sinclair is level at the top of the goalscoring charts with Ross County hitman Liam Boyce. The duo have plundered 21 goals apiece in equally prolific seasons with the Northern Irishman almost single handedly securing The Staggies’ survival.
He’s scored almost 50 per cent of their league goals after all.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibs are interested, as reported by the Daily Record. But it’s tempting to wonder whether Boyce has the quality to play alongside Sinclair next season, rather than compete with him for the Golden Boot.
Better fit
The 26-year-old has been one of the most consistent strikers in the Scottish first division since arriving from Irish minnows Cliftonville in 2014, hitting double figures in each of his three campaigns at Dingwall.
And, blessed with the vision to play as a number 10 or the strength to lead the line on his own, he appears a far more rounded forward than Celtic’s old-school poacher Leigh Griffiths (below).
As such, he’s a better fit for Brendan Rodgers’ lone-striker system. Though with Celtic’s ambitions stretching beyond the domestic game, Boyce would need to prove that he has the ability to step up in European competition.
Dream move
However, with HITC sources telling us that he could be available for as little as £500,000 thanks to a buyout clause in his contract, signing Boyce would be a low-risk decision with the prospect of very high rewards.
And you get the feeling that Boyce may jump at the chance. According to the Daily Record, he missed out on a move to Celtic in 2010 before making a short-term move to Werder Bremen instead.
“It would have been a dream come true to sign for Celtic”, the then Cliftonville youngster said in 2013.
Boyce shouldn’t give up on his dreams just yet.
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