After Jermain Defoe agreed to join bitter rivals Rangers on an 18-month loan from Bournemouth, Steven Gerrard’s men may now have the edge in the title race – Celtic must sign Sampdoria’s Fabio Quagliarella to level the playing field.
What’s the word?
Well, with the Gers and the Hoops tied on 42 points at the top of the Scottish Premiership standings, there has been little to separate the two Glasgow outfits this season; the former have now got one-up on the latter, though, first by winning a typically intense Old Firm Derby, and now by securing Defoe.
The 36-year-old will surely be a success at the Ibrox as he is renowned for doing the simple things a striker should expertly – finishing tidily and always being in the right place.
Hence, Brendan Rodgers and co already have some big catching up to do in the transfer window but they can even the odds by signing the goal-crazy Quagliarella.
Fine wine
Similarly to Defoe, the 35-year-old has somehow continued to get better despite being well into his twilight years and is currently enjoying his best season in terms of goals-to-game ratios – the Italian has bagged 12 goals in 18 Serie A appearances so far and has netted ten of those in his last nine.
The Italian might not have the legs or the physicality of Mikey Johnston and Odsonne Edouard, respectively, but he, like Defoe, will put the ball in the back of the net nine times out of ten which will be crucial if Celtic are to win their eighth consecutive league title.
Additionally, if Edouard and Johnston are the future of the Hoops’ strike-force, they would hugely benefit from having such an experienced and accomplished figure in the dressing room – Quagliarella has made a whopping 563 career appearances and scored 191 goals.
The Sampdoria captain is contracted at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris until summer 2020, so he wouldn’t command too hefty a transfer fee if Celtic were to swoop this month.
What do you think, Bhoys and Ghirls? Would you like to see Fabio Quagliarella sign for Celtic? Let us know by voting in the poll below…
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