Neil Lennon’s Scottish Premiership leaders are apparently hoping to raid Ligue 2 Le Mans for Stephane Diarra.
Stephane Diarra is something of an old-school throwback of a winger, the sort of jet-heeled wideman who loves nothing more than skinning full-backs alive and covering his boots in a thick layer of chalk.
Only two players in the entirety of France’s second tier have attempted more dribbles this season. But, with a 74 per cent completion rate, Diarra beats his man more often than not, giving defenders up and down the land a nasty case of twisted blood before going for goal or whipping in a cross.
No wonder Celtic are interested, according to L’Equipe.
While Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops passed their opponents to death, Neil Lennon’s side are far more dynamic, aggressive and direct. Not direct in a reductive, long-ball sort of way, however – more ‘give the ball to James Forrest and let him run’.
It’s that sort of front-to-back counter-attacking which has seen Celtic look far more assured on European soil in particular under the former Hibernian boss, grabbing a deserved draw in Rennes before catching Lazio cold at the Stadio Olimpico.
Lennon has got the best out of talented yet rather erratic widemen like Forrest, Mikey Johnstone and Southampton loanee Mohamed Elyounoussi, the reigning Scottish Premiership Player of the Month. He’s also a fan of Lewis Morgan, another 1990s throwback who tends to tread the touchline rather than drift in from the wing a la Scott Sinclair.
And Diarra, who Celtic have apparently been watching for a number of years, should fit into ‘Lennonball’ with ease.
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