Celtic still have plenty to play for in the Scottish Premiership and the SFA Cup as they bid to end the season without going trophyless across all competitions.
Brendan Rodgers should be keen to win at least one piece of silverware in his first year back at Parkhead, having re-joined the club to replace Ange Postecoglou last summer.
Whilst the bulk of their focus will be on the rest of the 2023/24 campaign and their performances on the pitch, one eye will also be on the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Hoops already know that they will have to dip into the market to replace one of their current star performers, as Joe Hart is poised to move on from Glasgow at the end of the season.
Earlier this year, the 37-year-old colossus confirmed that he is going to retire from professional football when his contract at Parkhead expires at the end of May.
This means that the club will be left without a first-choice goalkeeper ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, which is why they reportedly already have targets in mind to join the Scottish giants over the coming months.
Celtic’s interest in Bayer Leverkusen titan
According to Monday's edition of the Salzburger Nachrichten, as relayed by Sport Witness, Celtic are one of the teams interested in a swoop to sign Bayer Leverkusen shot-stopper Peter Pentz ahead of next season.
The report claims that the Hoops and Dutch giants PSV are lining up swoops to sign the talented titan, who has been on loan with Brondby this term, to bolster their respective teams in the summer transfer window.
It does not reveal, however, how much the German side are set to demand for his services, with his current contract due to expire in the summer of 2025.
Football Insider previously reported that Celtic, PSV, and Southampton were all keen on the 27-year-old star, which means that there could be plenty of competition for his signature.
Rodgers could land Pentz as a dream alternative to veteran goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, who Football Insider have claimed is unlikely to be targeted by the club this summer.
Their latest report on the QPR colossus' situation claims that Celtic want to bring in a long-term number one option to succeed Hart between the sticks, which does not suit the 36-year-old Championship stopper.
Football Insider stated that the Scottish giants want to land a top-quality goalkeeper to hold the fort down from next season onwards, and Pentz could be a fantastic addition instead of the experienced Begovic.
Why Celtic are right to avoid Asmir Begovic
Firstly, as that report pointed out, the Bosnia international is not at an age where he is likely to be the long-term number one for Celtic moving forward.
He turns 37 in June, shortly before his contract with QPR expires, and the veteran may not have many years left before hanging up his gloves, as Hart is set to do at a similar age this year.
This means that Begovic does not fit the style of signing the Hoops are looking to make to replace the former England international this summer, which immediately rules him out as a suitable candidate before you even get to his performances on the pitch.
Speaking of which, his worrying displays in the Championship for the English side this season suggest that he would not have been a good target for the club even if they were looking for an experienced option.
Appearances
45
Save percentage
68%
Goals prevented
-7.72
Error led to goal
2
Ground duel success rate
78%
Run-out success rate
94%
As you can see in the table above, the 36-year-old dud has significantly underperformed as a shot-stopper in the second tier, with 7.72 more goals conceded than the xG of the shots on his goal suggests he should have let in.
Begovic, who made 256 appearances in the Premier League earlier in his career, ranks 46th out of 48 goalkeepers in the Championship in that metric, with only Ryan Allsop (-9.39) and Gavin Bazunu (-11.52) below him.
Therefore, Celtic must also avoid the QPR dud due to his poor performances on the pitch, alongside his age profile not suiting what they are looking for.
Why Celtic should swoop for Patrick Pentz
The Scottish giants must now ensure that they win the race, ahead of PSV and Southampton, to secure a deal to sign Pentz from Leverkusen in the summer.
Last season, the Austria international spent the first half of the campaign with Reims in Ligue 1 before completing a move to the German side in January 2023.
During his time in the French top-flight, the Hoops target slightly underperformed as a shot-stopper, letting in 2.15 more goals than expected, but did not make a single error leading to a goal for the opposition and won 100% of his duels.
After failing to make an appearance for Leverkusen, Pentz was sent out on loan to Brondby in Denmark for the 2023/24 campaign and he has enjoyed a terrific season so far.
Appearances
33
45
22
Sofascore rating
6.84
6.97
7.35
Save percentage
68%
68%
78%
Saves made
56
123
70
Error led to goal
0
2
0
Duel success rate
75%
89%
100%
As you can see in the table above, the Austrian colossus has been in fantastic form in comparison to both Begovic and Hart at league level this term, with a significantly higher save success rate and Sofascore rating, along with being faultless in duels.
Last summer, Leverkusen's managing director Simon Rolfes claimed that the Celtic target is "in his prime", and his superb statistics in the Superliga so far this term back up that claim.
Therefore, from a performance perspective, Pentz could be a phenomenal addition to the squad to potentially come in as an upgrade on Hart, whilst being a better option than Begovic.
The 27-year-old, who does not turn 28 until January of next year, is also almost ten years younger than the two veteran shot-stoppers, which suggests that he has the time ahead of him to be the long-term number one for Rodgers at Parkhead – making him a dream signing overall.