Celtic are looking for “unbelievable talent” for Rodgers in January.

Celtic are one of several clubs interested in a young midfielder.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers revealed earlier this week in a press conference that the club came close to signing Declan Rice during his first stint in charge, only for injury issues to derail the deal.

“I remember when I was here the first time, we spent about three months looking for Declan Rice to come in,” he went on to say. “Declan was all set to come in and then they had an injury, so he stayed and made the team, and the rest is history.” That is not the club’s fault; it is simply the way things are.”
It’s tempting to speculate on what might have happened if Celtic had been able to complete the deal. Rice, of course, became the most expensive British player in Premier League history when he moved from West Ham to Arsenal last summer, and if he’d shown similar promise at Celtic, the Hoops could have gotten a big payday.

Celtic are now pursuing another young defensive midfielder who is generating a lot of buzz in scouting circles.
Zambrano is a Celtic custodian.

According to HITC, Celtic and Rangers, Celtic’s fierce Scottish Premiership rivals, “are both watching” Oscar Zambrano of Ecuadorian club LDU Quito. His performances in South America have piqued the interest of the Old Firm duo, as well as Premier League clubs in England.

His name has come up in recruitment discussions at Wolves and Brighton, as well as Luton Town. However, Bournemouth’s interest appears to have progressed the most. According to the report, the Cherries are in “pole position” to sign the 17-year-old after entering “advanced” negotiations. Celtic will have to act quickly if they are to complete a deal.
Zambrano has an exciting No. 6 package.
Zambrano had a breakout year in 2023, playing every minute for Ecuador at the Under-20 World Cup as they advanced to the round of 16 before making his senior debut in November.

Meanwhile, despite his lack of experience, he has earned 26 league appearances and has also appeared in seven games as his side marched to victory in the Copa Sudamericana, South America’s equivalent of the Europa League.

Online talent scouts are ecstatic about Zambrano, implying that he could be a huge coup for Celtic or whoever ends up signing him. Scouted Football, for example, has called him “one of the best line-splitting passers” they’ve ever seen, noting that he combines incisive play with a “tenacious off-ball presence.”

Similarly, scout Jacek Kulig lists a mix of on- and off-the-ball strengths – “pace, passing, technique, tackling, positioning, determination, work rate” – and draws parallels with compatriot and positional peer Moises Caicedo, the most expensive Premier League acquisition. Antonio Mango, an Under-23 scout, agrees, describing Zambrano as a Caicedo “regen” and a “unbelievable talent.” Now is the time to seize this wonderkid and develop him before selling him for a large profit if he continues to improve.

in other news, The ‘fantastic’ Liverpool player has turned down a January move to Celtic.