Ryan Christie has enhanced his reputation on loan at Aberdeen from Celtic.
In the eyes of former Celtic hero Davie Provan, it’s pretty clear where the Scottish champions need to strengthen in the January transfer window.
Celtic are a little light at centre-back and lack a few options on the left of defence but Provan, who won four league titles in green and white between 1978 and 1986, believes there is another position in Brendan Rodgers’ squad that needs a little investment.
“With £30m banked from this season’s Champions League, Rodgers should be allowed to add some proper quality to the squad including a No 10,” Provan wrote in the Scottish Sun.
Now, his opinion may raise a few eyebrows given that quality creators and central midfielders are hardly in short supply at Parkhead. But for all the dynamism of Stuart Armstrong, the dribbling of Scott Sinclair and the fleet footed wizardry of Patrick Roberts, there isn’t really an ‘old-school’ archetypal playmaker in Rodgers’ squad.
Perhaps the closest thing Celtic have is Ryan Christie, the highly-rated young playmaker who is enjoying a fine season out on loan at Aberdeen as part of the deal that took forgotten man Jonny Hayes to Glasgow.
Christie has scored twice and set up another five goals in 15 Scottish Premiership appearances this season, ensuring Aberdeen are once again favourites to be crowned the ‘best of the rest’ at the end of the season.
And with Hayes struggling for game time, it seems that The Dons certainly got the better end of the deal.
But with Provan pointing out Celtic’s possible deficiencies in a central creative role, perhaps the one-time Inverness starlet will finally get his chance under Rodgers sooner rather than later.
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