The curious case of Benjamin Nygren. On paper, the Sweden international has been one of Celtic’s most impressive performers, with seven goals in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.
Yet, he has failed to fully convince in a Hoops jersey because of his all-round performances. In the Europa League, for example, he has scored two goals and missed a whopping five ‘big chances’ in five starts, per Sofascore.
In the Scottish Premiership, meanwhile, Nygren has only completed 35% of his attempted dribbles, completing 0.5 per game on average, which speaks to how awkward he can sometimes look when attempting to carry the ball forward in midfield.
Celtic want to sign new attacking midfielder
Whilst the left-footed star will continue to be a useful player for Wilfried Nancy, given his goal output this season, the Hoops could replace him as a starter amid interest in a new signing in his position.
According to the Daily Record, Celtic have an interest in signing Cruz Azul attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz ahead of the January transfer window.
The report claims that the Scottish giants wanted to sign the Poland international from LAFC in 2024 before his move to Mexico at the start of this year, and they remain keen on a deal for the 24-year-old star.
It adds that Bogusz wants to move away from Cruz Azul, 11 months into his time at the club, and that suggests that Celtic could have an opportunity to sign him next month.
However, it remains to be seen how much the Mexican side would want for the former Leeds star, who joined them from LAFC for a fee of roughly £6.7m last January.
Why Celtic should sign Mateusz Bogusz
The Hoops should push to get a deal done for Bogusz, who wants a move away from his club next month, because he could come in as an upgrade on Nygren.
It would be a bit of a risk for the Scottish giants, though, as the attacking midfielder has had a tough time in Mexico, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in 39 appearances, per Sofascore.
He has been an unused substitute in three of Cruz Azul’s last four matches, hence why he is keen to leave next month, but his form for LAFC prior to moving to Mexico suggests that there is a hidden gem in there for Celtic to unearth.
As aforementioned, Celtic wanted to sign Bogusz during his time at LAFC, and if he can get back to the form that he showed in the MLS last year, the 24-year-old star would be an upgrade on what Nygren has shown on the pitch in the Premiership this season.
In the 2024 MLS campaign, the Polish attacking midfielder delivered 16 goals and eight assists in 36 appearances, per Sofascore, which earned him his big-money move to Cruz Azul.
|
Stat |
Bogusz (2024 MLS) |
Nygren (25/26 Premiership) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
36 |
15 |
|
Goals |
16 |
5 |
|
Minutes per goal |
187 |
168 |
|
Key passes per game |
2.2 |
1.6 |
|
Big chances created |
9 |
3 |
|
Assists |
8 |
2 |
|
Dribbles completed per game |
1.1 |
0.5 |
|
Dribble success rate |
53% |
35% |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, the ex-Leeds youngster’s MLS form suggests that he has the potential to offer more as a creator and as a dribbler in comparison to Nygren, whilst scoring goals at a similar rate.
Bogusz was described as a “dangerous” player by journalist Greg Beacham, which is backed up by these statistics, and he could be a dangerous player for the Hoops if they can help him recapture that form after a difficult year with Cruz Azul.
At the age of 24, the Poland international should not be written off after one poor season in Mexico, particularly when you look at just how impressive his form in the MLS was.
Bogusz is a more dynamic attacking midfielder than Nygren, whose dribbling skills leave a lot to be desired, and could excite supporters at Parkhead more than the Swedish star does, whilst scoring goals almost as frequently.
Mooy 2.0: Nancy can forget Nygren by unleashing “outstanding” Celtic star
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy can ruthlessly drop Benjamin Nygren by unleashing this star against St Mirren.
In conclusion, the Cruz Azul flop would be a risky signing, due to his form this year, but the upside is that he could be a big upgrade on Nygren if they can get him back to his best.
