Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have reportedly made an enquiry to sign Stoke’s Championship right-back Moritz Bauer.
Mikael Lustig will turn 32 in December and he is not quite the same influential presence that he was a couple of years ago. So it makes sense that Celtic would look to the future and scour the market for a player capable of succeeding the veteran Swede on the right of their defence.
And according to The Mail, that man could be Moritz Bauer.
It is claimed that Brendan Rodgers is in the market for a right-back and has made an enquiry for the Austrian, who only joined Stoke City in January from Rubin Kazan for £5 million, as reported by The Mail.
The 26-year-old might have been relegated from the Premier League with Stoke last season but he has still managed to win over the fans with his aggressive and attack-minded approach.
Bauer is blessed with seemingly endless energy, allowing him to drive up and down the flank for 90 minutes. Should Celtic tempt The Potters into a sale, the five-time international would provide a more dynamic and youthful alternative to the ageing Lustig.
He looks a more solid defensive option than Cristian Gamboa, too, who would be forced even further down the pecking order should the former Swiss youth international move to Glasgow.
There are positions that Celtic perhaps need to strengthen more than right-back but you cannot criticise Rodgers for planning ahead.
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