Celtic have offered a contract to Ukranian goal machine Artem Dovbyk – a striker who has scored 12 in 12 for Dnipro this season.
It should be no surprise that Artem Dovbyk’s stunning form in the Ukrainian second division has not passed Celtic by.
The Scottish champions have made it their mission to scour Europe’s more under-the-radar leagues for bargains. And Dovbyk, a 20-year-old rising star who will be out of contract by the end of December, fits their transfer policy perfectly.
The Daily Record even report that Celtic have already offered a contract to the youngster – and you can see why. Dovbyk has exploded onto the scene for Dnipro in his country’s second tier, scoring 12 goals in 12 games so far in 2017/18.
He was recently rewarded for his impressive form with a maiden call-up to the Ukrainian national team, managed by none other than the legendary striker Andriy Shevchenko – who Dovbyk has inevitably been likened to.
And Dovbyk, Ukraine’s 2016/17 Young Player of the Year, has already hinted that he would be enticed by the idea of continuing his development in another country.
“I am keen to try football abroad. I think it would help my chances of playing for Ukraine and improve me as a footballer,” Dovbyk, who is also interesting Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, said in quotes reported by the Daily Record.
Shevchenko is not a bad example to follow. Arguably the greatest footballer in the history of Ukrainian football was rated very highly in his homeland during his formative years with Dinamo Kiev.
It was after a 1999 move to AC Milan, however, that Shevchenko started being recognised as one of the most feared strikers in world football.
Could Celtic be Dovbyk’s next step towards emulating his national team coach?
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