Celtic's wait to add a new outfield player to their squad goes on as they have just over a month left before the summer transfer window officially slams shut.
The Hoops have added two players to the group so far this summer but both of them have come in to compete for the number one shirt that was vacated by Joe Hart.
Danish titan Kasper Schmeichel has joined on a free transfer and young starlet Viljami Sinisalo has been snapped up from Aston Villa on a permanent deal to provide him with competition.
A new left-back appears to be on the agenda for Brendan Rodgers amid links to Wolves full-back Hugo Bueno, but the Spanish ace is not the only reported target in that position.
Celtic linked with Croatian gem
The Daily Record recently relayed reports that Celtic are interested in a potential swoop to sign Dinamo Zagreb left-back Mauro Perkovic this summer.
It also carried a claim from outlet 24Sata that that Croatian giants are looking for a fee within the region of £1.6m in order to cash in on the defender.
Meanwhile, teams from the Bundesliga and from Saudi Arabia are said to be eyeing up moves for the 21-year-old battler, which means that the Scottish giants could face plenty of competition for his signature.
If the Hoops do decide to act upon their interest in Perkovic and swoop to bring him to Parkhead then Rodgers could end up unearthing an upgrade on current first-choice Greg Taylor.
Why Celtic should sign Mauro Perkovic
The Croatian youngster is a fantastic talent who could come in and give the Scotland international a real run for his money, if he can translate his form from his home country over to the Scottish Premiership.
In the HNL last season, Perkovic showcased maturity and physicality beyond his years with dominant performances on the left side of the Zagreb defence.
Capable of playing at wing-back or on the left side of a back three, the Celtic target could either slot in as a centre-back or a left-back for the Hoops when needed.
Appearances
35
21
Pass accuracy
82%
86%
Assists
4
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.2
3.5
Ground duel success rate
57%
65%
Aerial duel success rate
46%
67%
As you can see in the table above, Perkovic could come in and immediately be an upgrade on Taylor due to his reliability in and out of possession.
The Scottish ace is more creative, with four more assists in the league last term, but the Zagreb whiz could offer more control on the ball with a higher pass accuracy.
Their respective defensive statistics suggest that Perkovic would be a huge upgrade on Taylor off the ball, as he can win possession back far more frequently whilst also winning a far higher percentage of his duels on the deck and in the air.
Imagine him & Carter-Vickers: Celtic targetting swoop for £20k-p/w "leader"
The Hoops are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the central defender this summer.
ByDan EmeryJul 27, 2024
Therefore, Rodgers must swoop to sign the 21-year-old starlet, who was dubbed "highly talented" by scout Jacek Kulig, to come in and provide his team with more defensive stability, which could be particularly key in Champions League matches against high quality opposition who will ask questions of the Celtic defence.