A common theme in Celtic‘s recent history has been the presence of a playmaking genius in the heart of the side, offering that vital creative link between the midfield unit and forward line.
In Brendan Rodgers‘ current crop, it could be said that despite splashing out £11m on club-record signing Arne Engels – with both Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan also snapped up – the Old Firm side’s dominant creative force is that of Nicolas Kuhn, with the German wizard chipping in with 11 assists to go with his stellar haul of ten goals this season.
The 24-year-old – who is now courting attention from clubs in the Premier League – has taken on that mantle from a certain Matt O’Riley, with the Denmark international having notably contributed 27 goals and 35 assists in all competitions for the club, prior to departing for Brighton and Hove Albion.
O’Riley’s success followed in the footsteps of the likes of Tom Rogic and Ryan Christie before him, with Rogic registering 97 goals and assists in 272 outings for the Hoops, while Christie chalked up 86 goal involvements from just 151 appearances in green and white.
Most assists so far – Celtic (2024/25) | ||
|---|---|---|
Player | Games | Assists |
Nicolas Kuhn | 17 | 11 |
Arne Engels | 14 | 6 |
Alistair Johnston | 17 | 5 |
James Forrest | 16 | 4 |
Greg Taylor | 14 | 4 |
Kyogo Furuhashi | 16 | 3 |
Daizen Maeda | 16 | 3 |
Alex Valle | 9 | 3 |
Those high profile names have been undoubted stars of the last decade or so, although their impressive records do not come close to the return of another Parkhead hero, in the form of Kris Commons.
Kris Commons’ time at Celtic
While the midfielder’s stint in Glasgow may have ultimately petered out as he was eventually shipped on loan to Hibernian prior to his exit and subsequent retirement in 2017, boy was he effective in those early years at the club.
Signed from EFL side Derby County in January 2011 for a modest fee of just £300k, the then 28-year-old went on to take Scottish football by storm under the likes of Neil Lennon and Ronny Deila.
As former coach John Collins would later state in 2015, “in and around the opponent’s box there’s nobody more dangerous”, with the England-born, Scotland international a true weapon for the Hoops in the final third.
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In all, the one-time Nottingham Forest star contributed a mammoth tally of 161 goals and assists in just 227 games, with that haul no doubt helped by his stunning return in the 2013/14 campaign, in which he scored 31 goals and provided 14 assists in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.
A devastating threat either off the flanks or in a central role, the now-retired ace proved a complete and utter bargain for the Premiership giants, with there perhaps a chance for the club to repeat that feat in 2025…
Celtic chasing the next Kris Commons
As reported by 67HailHail, Rodgers and co are believed to have a strong interest in Burnley captain, Josh Brownhill, with the Englishman having been spoken about within Parkhead as the club look to strengthen their ranks in the new year.
The former Bristol City man – who signed for the Clarets on a £9m deal in 2020 – could be up for grabs in January amid the chance to sign a pre-contract agreement, with his existing deal set to expire in the summer.
That scenario certainly evokes memories of the deal to capture Commons from the Championship, with the Celtic icon having also had just a matter of months left on his Rams contract, prior to making the move on the cheap.
Perhaps there could be an opportunity for Brownhill – who, like Commons was at the time of his switch, is now 28 – to also depart for a minimal fee in the winter window, helping to offer some real experience to Rodgers’ relatively youthful midfield unit.
Like Commons too, the Warrington-born talent also offers that natural threat from his central berth, having already scored five goals in England’s second tier this season – ahead of what that man Engels (three) has achieved in his early days at Celtic Park.
This early season form has been no flash in the pan either, with Brownhill also registering seven goals and ten assists in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign, with a Premier League stint having been sandwiched in between.
A reported £45k-per-week wage may prove an obstacle, yet the 5 foot 11 ace – who has 37 goals and assists during his time at Turf Moor – would be a worthy pick-up, particularly if a bargain deal can be struck.
With Celtic having seen the benefits of snapping up a figure like Commons from the EFL when he was entering his prime, repeating that trick with the addition of Brownhill in January – or next summer – could help to strengthen an already dominant outfit.
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