Celtic begin their defence of the Scottish Premiership title this weekend as they prepare to host Kilmarnock at Parkhead in their opening match on Sunday.
The Hoops will have a new number one between the sticks for the match after Joe Hart left the club at the end of last season, retiring from professional football.
He spent three seasons as the team's number one and Brendan Rodgers dipped into the transfer market to land Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo to compete for the starting spot.
Central midfielder Paulo Bernardo has also been signed to bolster the club's options in the middle of the park, joining on a permanent basis after his loan stint in Glasgow last season.
The Scottish giants still have a few weeks left to complete any more business that they would like to do before the window officially slams shut.
This means that Hoops supporters could look forward to more players coming through the door to improve the squad in order to help the club compete for trophies throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
Celtic's interest in Premier League defender
Fans could be excited by the prospect of a new full-back arriving at Parkhead before the end of August as Celtic are reportedly keen to add a left-back to the group.
According to Mail Sport journalist Lewis Steele, Celtic are in the hunt to sign Liverpool defender Owen Beck to compete with Greg Taylor next season.
The reporter claims that the Hoops are in the market to land the left-back after they failed to sign another, unnamed, player in that position.
However, Steele adds that the Premier League side are hoping to cash in on the former Dundee loanee on a permanent basis this summer, whilst the Bhoys are currently hoping to secure a loan move for the young whiz.
The journalist reveals that this could rule the Premiership champions out of the race at this moment in time, but there is still plenty of time left in the window for either club's stance to change.
Celtic were keen to sign Beck back in January of this year but missed out on him as Liverpool recalled and used him in the Premier League before sending him back to Dundee, who were the only club he could join for the second half of the campaign after playing for the Reds.
If the Hoops can secure a deal for the impressive youngster this summer, though, then they could land an exciting partner for Mikey Johnston down the flank.
Why it is Mikey Johnston's time to shine
The Ireland international only made nine appearances in the Premiership during the first half of last season, three of which came as a starter, and that led to him joining West Bromwich Albion on loan in the winter window.
Johnston could not force his way into the Celtic XI on a regular basis and went down south to play in the Championship to get regular minutes under his belt.
Not only did the 25-year-old star play regularly for the Baggies but he also caught the eye with his fantastic performances at the top end of the pitch.
Appearances
18
Goals
7
Assists
1
Big chances created
4
Key passes per game
1.2
Dribbles completed per game
2.2
As you can see in the table above, Johnston produced 11 goals and 'big chances' created combined in just 18 appearances in the Championship for West Brom.
His electric form earned him an opportunity to push for a place in the Hoops team this season and his performances in pre-season suggest that he has a good chance of doing so.
The right-footed ace scored two goals in his last three appearances in pre-season with the Bhoys, including a composed finish in the 4-1 win over Chelsea.
Johnston scored more goals in five months at West Brom (seven) than Daizen Maeda managed (six) in 28 appearances in the Premiership last term.
The Japan international also failed to produce a goal or an assist during pre-season and his faltering form could see the Irish wizard given an opportunity to impress from the start against Kilmarnock on Sunday, as he has showcased his quality as a scorer and a creator this year.
Why Owen Beck would be an exciting signing
Beck, who was hailed as "spectacular" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could be an exciting signing for Celtic due to the attacking ability he could provide down the left flank alongside Johnston.
The 21-year-old ace spent the majority of the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Dundee in the Premiership and his performances earned himself a place in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.
He caught the eye with his contributions in and out of possession in the Scottish top-flight. Firstly, the £2.8k-per-week dynamo made 2.3 key passes per game in the division.
Only Matt O'Riley (2.5) and Luis Palma (2.4) made more key passes per match in the Premiership for Celtic last season, which speaks to how impressive that return was from Beck – given his defensive position.
Appearances
25
35
Assists
4
4
Key passes per game
2.3
1.7
Dribbles completed per game
1.4
0.7
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.9
2.2
Duel success rate
55%
52%
As you can see in the table above, Beck is also a strong defender who can win the majority of his duels whilst almost making four defensive interventions per game.
The Welsh full-back has the potential to come in as an upgrade on Taylor at the back for Celtic, as he outperformed him in and out of possession last season, which is backed up by those statistics and his inclusion in the Team of the Year.
Those statistics also illustrate why Beck would be an exciting player to partner Johnston down the left flank, as they could both provide plenty of attacking quality for the Hoops.
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The Liverpool youngster's ability to drive forward with dribbles and key passes could put the winger in dangerous positions on a regular basis, which would then give him the best possible chance of showing off his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals.
