The curious case of Benjamin Nygren. On paper, the Sweden international has been one of Celtic’s most impressive players, scoring seven goals in all competitions, according to Transfermarkt.
Yet he failed to fully convince in a Hoops jersey due to his overall performances. In the Europa League, for example, he scored two goals and missed five “big chances” in five starts, according to Sofascore.
Meanwhile, in the Scottish Premiership, Nygren completed just 35% of his dribble attempts, averaging 0.5 per game, showing how clumsy he can sometimes look when trying to advance the ball through midfield.
Celtic want to recruit a new attacking midfielder
While the left-footed star will continue to be a useful player for Wilfried Nancy, given his goals this season, the Hoops could replace him as a starter amid interest in a new signing at his position.
According to the Daily Record, Celtic would be interested in signing Cruz Azul attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz before the January transfer window.
The report claims the Scottish giants wanted to sign the Poland international from LAFC in 2024 before his move to Mexico earlier this year, and they remain supportive of a deal for the 24-year-old star.
He adds that Bogusz is keen on a move away from Cruz Azul, 11 months after joining the club, suggesting Celtic could have the 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 around £6.7million last January.
Why Celtic should sign Mateusz Bogusz
The Hoops are expected to push to complete a deal for Bogusz, who is keen to leave his club next month, as he could come in to improve Nygren.
That would be a bit of a risk for the Scottish giants, however, as the attacking midfielder has had a difficult time in Mexico, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in 39 appearances, according to Sofascore.
He has been an unused substitute in three of Cruz Azul’s last four matches, which is why he is keen to leave next month, but his form for LAFC before moving to Mexico suggests there is a hidden gem there that Celtic can discover.
As mentioned above, Celtic wanted to sign Bogusz during his time at LAFC, and if he can return to the form he showed in MLS last year, the 24-year-old star would be an improvement on what Nygren has shown on the pitch in the Premiership this season.
During the 2024 MLS campaign, the Polish attacking midfielder recorded 16 goals and eight assists in 36 appearances, according to Sofascore, earning him his big-money move to Cruz Azul.
|
Statistical |
Bogusz (MLS 2024) |
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 |
|
Aids |
8 |
2 |
|
Dribbles performed per match |
1.1 |
0.5 |
|
Dribbling success rate |
53% |
35% |
|
Statistics via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, the former Leeds youngster’s MLS form suggests he has the potential to offer more as a creator and as a dribbler compared to Nygren, whilst scoring goals at a similar rate.
Bogusz has been described as a “dangerous” player by journalist Greg Beacham, which these stats back up, and he could be a dangerous player for the Hoops if they can help him find that form after a difficult year with Cruz Azul.
At 24, the Poland international should not be written off after a poor season in Mexico, especially considering how impressive his form in MLS was.
Bogusz is a more dynamic attacking midfielder than Nygren, whose dribbling skills leave much to be desired and could excite Parkhead supporters more than the Swedish star, while scoring goals almost as frequently.
Mooy 2.0: Nancy can forget Nygren by releasing an “exceptional” Celtic star
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy may let Benjamin Nygren down mercilessly by releasing this star against St Mirren.
In conclusion, flop Cruz Azul would be a risky signing, due to his form this year, but the upside is that he could be a big upgrade over Nygren if they can get him back to his best.
