Celtic’s scouted were recommended to take a look at Sydney van Hooijdonk over the summer with the £4 million-rated Serie A striker reportedly in contention for a January switch to Parkhead.
Chris Sutton, a couple of weeks ago, made his feelings clear about Celtic’s centre-forward situation.
The Premiership champions, he said, were missing a number nine in the Giorgios Giakoumakis ilk. Since then, Oh Hyeon-Gyu has begun the find the net with a little more regularity, but reports linking Sydney van Hooijdonk with a mid-season switch to Glasgow should keep Sutton happy.
Like Giakoumakis, Van Hooijdonk is a physical, broad-shouldered throwback of a striker. A man who found goals easy to come by in the Netherlands – scoring 19 on loan at Heerenveen in 2022/23 – and could prove equally prolific in a league of a similar size and strength.
Celtic could move for Sydney van Hooijdonk
According to Corriere di Bologna, Celtic have made initial ‘enquiries’ about Van Hooijdonk’s availability ahead of the January transfer window.
Those links date back to the summer, when the Bologna benchwarmer was reportedly ‘pitched to scouts inside Parkhead’, per Football Scotland.
Celtic did not make a move at the time, Bologna boss Thiago Motta keen to retain the Dutchman’s services. But with Van Hooijdonk now out of favour and out of the starting XI, Brendan Rodgers’ league leaders could be tempted to make a more concerted effort to rescue the striker from his backseat role over in Italy.
Especially after Van Hooijdonk seemingly opened the door to a January departure.
Dutchman has barely played for Bologna
“I have to do what’s best for my growth. For my career. I also have to play,” the son of former Celtic ace Pierre van Hooijdonk tells Corriere dello Sport.
“Do the rumours about my possible transfer bother me? It’s normal when you don’t play. In the last year-and-a-half, I’ve played a lot and also scored a lot.
“We will see what happens.”
Bologna, Il Resto del Carlino report, are in the process of identifying potential replacements. Van Hooijdonk is valued at around £4 million but may be allowed to leave on an initial loan deal.
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