Celtic may have a club-record £17m bid accepted for a Yang replacement.

Kasper Hogh makes instant impact at Celtic

Celtic’s summer signing Kasper Hogh has wasted little time in showing supporters exactly why the club were willing to invest heavily in his services.

The Denmark international arrived at Parkhead from Bodo/Glimt for a fee understood to be above £11m, immediately becoming the club’s record signing. His first appearance for the Hoops was not quite the dream start he would have wanted, as he missed two big opportunities during the victory over Dundee last week.

However, the 25-year-old responded in emphatic fashion against Kilmarnock on Sunday.

Hogh produced a sensational first-half performance, finding the net three times before the game had reached the 35-minute mark. Two of his goals came via headers, while his other finish demonstrated his composure in front of goal as he calmly found the bottom corner.

His hat-trick provided Celtic supporters with an early glimpse of what their new centre-forward can offer, particularly after his disappointing finishing against Dundee.

While Hogh understandably stole the headlines, there was another attacking player whose performance raised questions about whether Celtic need to strengthen further before the transfer window closes.

Yang once again struggles to influence the game

Hyun-jun Yang was unable to make a significant contribution during Celtic’s dominant victory over Kilmarnock.

The South Korean was the only member of Celtic’s starting front four who failed to register either a goal or an assist. Hogh scored three, Benjamin Nygren contributed a goal and an assist, while Camilo Duran set up a teammate.

Yang has generally operated from the right side of Celtic’s attack during his time under Martin O’Neill, particularly throughout the 2025/26 campaign. However, he has been used on the left during each of the first two matches of the new season.

There was an opportunity for him to move back across to the right against Kilmarnock following Duran’s substitution in the second half. Unfortunately for Yang, that change of position did little to improve his influence.

His numbers from Celtic’s opening two league matches underline the problem.

Against Dundee, Yang played 78 minutes, attempted three shots and created no key passes or big chances. He then featured for another 74 minutes against Kilmarnock, managing two shots and two key passes, but again failed to score or create a big chance.

Across those two appearances, he has therefore failed to register a goal or create a big chance despite Celtic scoring seven times and producing 13 big chances.

That is not the sort of attacking output Celtic need from one of their starting wide players.

Celtic need more from Yang’s position

Yang’s slow start to the campaign is particularly concerning when viewed alongside his overall record since joining Celtic.

The winger has not reached double figures for goals in any of his first three seasons at the club, and his inability to consistently provide an end product has remained an issue.

Celtic have plenty of attacking quality, as Sunday’s performance demonstrated, but competing at the highest level requires consistent production from every area of the frontline.

The Hoops cannot afford to carry a wide attacker who contributes little in terms of goals and creativity, especially when there are other options available.

That makes the club’s reported interest in Fares Ghedjemis particularly interesting.

Ghedjemis could be the ideal replacement

According to Tutto Mercato Web, Celtic are among the clubs interested in signing Frosinone forward Fares Ghedjemis this summer.

The report claims that the Scottish champions have already submitted an offer for the Algeria international. Rangers have also reportedly shown an interest, with an £8.5m proposal said to have been rejected by Frosinone.

However, the Italian club are believed to want a considerably larger fee before allowing the winger to leave.

The reported asking price is around £17m, a figure that would represent a new Celtic transfer record.

That would comfortably surpass the £11m-plus amount the club paid to bring Hogh to Glasgow, but Celtic should seriously consider whether Ghedjemis is worth that investment.

If they can negotiate a lower fee, that would obviously be preferable. Nevertheless, if the £17m valuation proves necessary to complete the deal, there is a strong argument that Celtic should still explore the possibility.

Ghedjemis has the numbers to justify the interest

The statistics from last season provide an indication of why Celtic could see Ghedjemis as a significant upgrade on Yang.

During the 2025/26 campaign, Yang made 31 Scottish Premiership appearances, recording an expected goals figure of 7.37 and scoring eight times. He also created six big chances and finished with an expected assists figure of 3.83, although he did not register an assist.

Ghedjemis, meanwhile, enjoyed a highly productive campaign with Frosinone in Serie B.

The Algerian featured 37 times and recorded an xG of 10.02. He scored 15 goals, created 11 big chances and produced an xA figure of 5.78, while also providing three assists.

Those figures point towards a player capable of making a much greater impact in the final third.

Ghedjemis scored almost twice as many goals as Yang managed in the Premiership last season despite playing in a different division, while his creative numbers were also significantly stronger.

A major upgrade in the final third

The biggest attraction of Ghedjemis is arguably the combination of goals and creativity he could bring.

Yang’s best scoring return in a single season has been eight goals, while Ghedjemis found the net 15 times for Frosinone during their promotion-winning campaign.

There is also a sizeable difference in their ability to create opportunities for teammates.

Yang produced six big chances last season, which was his best tally in that particular category, whereas Ghedjemis managed 11. That suggests the Algerian could provide Celtic with another source of chances as well as being a more reliable goalscorer.

For a side expected to dominate possession and spend large periods attacking opponents, having wingers capable of producing decisive moments is essential.

Ghedjemis appears to offer that profile.

Yang could face a fight for his place

The arrival of Ghedjemis would inevitably raise questions about Yang’s future role within O’Neill’s Celtic side.

The Algerian is capable of operating on either flank, meaning he would give the manager considerable flexibility when selecting his attacking players.

If Ghedjemis were brought in, he could potentially take Yang’s place in the starting XI, while Duran could continue to occupy the opposite wing.

That would leave Yang competing for minutes rather than being an automatic starter.

Such competition could ultimately benefit Celtic. The club need players pushing one another for places, particularly in the wide areas where greater consistency is required.

For Yang, however, Ghedjemis’ arrival would represent a clear warning.

Celtic should push for the deal

There is, of course, still uncertainty over whether Celtic are willing to approach the reported £17m asking price.

Breaking their transfer record for a winger would represent a significant financial commitment, particularly after already spending more than £11m on Hogh.

Yet the numbers suggest Ghedjemis could be exactly the type of player Celtic need.

His 15 goals, 11 big chances created and three assists for Frosinone last season demonstrate an attacking threat that Yang has not consistently provided.

Hogh has already shown what a major attacking addition can do, and Celtic should now consider giving O’Neill another high-quality option on the flank.

If the Hoops can negotiate Ghedjemis’ price down, it would be an even more attractive deal. But even if it takes a club-record investment, Celtic have a strong case for pursuing the Algerian.

For Yang, meanwhile, the message is clear: unless his performances improve quickly, the arrival of Ghedjemis could make his path to regular first-team football considerably more difficult.