Why Celtic should go all out to sign Milan Pavkov in January
Red Star Belgrade striker Milan Pavkov is the latest name to be linked with a January move to Scottish champions Celtic. According to the Scotsman, Celtic had scouts watching Pavkov in the Champions League clash with Napoli.
Pavkov, 24, signed for Red Star Belgrade in the summer of 2016 but was sent back on loan to Radnicki Nis. He scored 23 goals in 33 league games last season for Radnicki Nis and his exploits for his new club have caught the attention of Celtic.
Now that the Hoops had their scouts watching the Serbian striker, should Brendan Rodgers make a move for him in January?
Celtic sold Moussa Dembele to Lyon on the transfer deadline day but had no time to get a replacement. With the French striker joining Lyon, Rodgers’ side have struggled in front of the goal so far.
Pavkov won’t be a straight replacement for Dembele but he could be the player to bolster Celtic’s attacking ranks in January. The 24-year-old has impressed since returning to Red Star, netting three goals in four league matches.
The 24-year-old is 6ft 4in tall, making him a defender’s nightmare. He is an old-fashioned target-man who uses his strength to hold the ball and protect it from the opposition. Despite his physical strength, Pavkov has the quality to dribble past people and doesn’t get dispossessed easily. Not only is he sharp with his dribbles but is also clinical when it comes to finishing off chances.
However, Pavkov hasn’t played any football outside his home country and is yet to be capped at any level for his national side, Serbia. Hence, there can be some doubts on whether he would succeed in the highly intense Scottish Premiership.
But going by his goalscoring abilities, the Serb would be a top addition for the Bhoys if he adapts to the Scottish league as quickly as possible.
Under Rodgers, Pavkov can be deployed either as a sole striker up front or in a supporting role alongside Leigh Griffiths or Odsonne Edouard. The Serbian powerhouse will offer a different dimension to Celtic’s play and would add depth to the squad.
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Pavkov has the required qualities to be a potent threat to the Scottish Premiership defences. He possesses the potential to become something special in the years to come and Rodgers would be the right man to extract the best out of the player.