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Celtic beating Rangers to sign this 24-year-old star would add a different dimension

Why Renato Tapia Would be a good addition to Celtic

According to Daily Record, Celtic have targeted Feyenoord midfielder Renato Tapia in order to bolster their squad depth.

Tapia, 24, signed for Feyenoord in 2016 and after two seasons with the club, he was sent on loan to Willem II, where he spent the second half of last season. He was a part of the squad that won the Dutch league at the end of the 2016/17 campaign.

The Peruvian was one of the standout performers in the 2019 Copa America tournament, which saw his side progress to the final but eventually lost 3-1 to champions Brazil. He has been a regular for his club in the past three seasons and helped them in various ways.

Renato Tapia (Getty Images)
Renato Tapia (Getty Images)

However, his contract with the club comes to an end in the summer and the report suggests that both Celtic and Rangers and interested in him. And Voetball International (h/t Daily Record) claims that the Eredivisie side are reluctant to sell him for free in the summer, which clearly indicates they would accept a deal for him this month.

Meanwhile, Celtic are atop the Scottish Premiership table and have a two-point lead over their fierce rivals. Neil Lennon has marshalled his side in the right direction and is hoping to retain the title after already claiming the Scottish League Cup earlier in December.

With another half of the season to go, Lennon should look to strengthen his squad if they are to challenge in various competitions. The Hoops have made progress in the Europa League and their season could get tougher with Steven Gerard’s Rangers not far away from them in the league table.

If Lennon manages to win the league and go as far as possible in the Europa League, it would be another wonderful season for the Hoops. Therefore, to continue with the momentum and fire on all cylinders, Lennon could do with a midfield signing, an area which looks deprived of depth.

Renato Tapia (L) (Getty Images)
Renato Tapia (L) (Getty Images)

Therefore, as the report suggests, they can now look forward to snapping up Renato Tapia in this transfer window and this could prove to be a shrewd piece of business as far as Lennon is concerned.

Nir Bitton and Eboue Kouassi are the two defensive midfielders available at the manager’s disposal. While Bitton has managed to feature in 11 league games, youngster Kouassi is yet to play in this season. Therefore, Tapia would certainly fit into the squad with his experience.

Predominantly a defensive midfielder, Tapia is a versatile player who has already played as a centre-back as well. Though he has excelled in central defence with his strength, aerial ability and defensive capabilities, it is his ability to carry the ball forward and dribble past opponents that suggest a box-to-box role is probably the best position he is suited to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY3vW9yS8-o

In the video below, one can get a glimpse of his technicality in both defensive and offensive situations, something which he would bring to Celtic Park if a deal goes through.

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Verdict

The 24-year-old is probably one of the best performers for his national side and he is at the right time to take his game to a higher level. He would certainly give another dimension to the Hoops midfield and therefore, Lennon must go all out for him.