He's even better than Miller: Celtic circling to sign "tenacious" £9m star
da apostaganha： Celtic have bolstered their squad with the likes of Benjamin Nygren, Kieran Tierney, and Callum Osmand this summer, but they have yet to add any more players to their midfield ranks.
da esoccer bet： The Hoops have been linked with an interest in Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller, but they may end up missing out on a move for the Scotland international.
Como, who just signed Nicolas Kuhn from Celtic, Ipswich Town, and Southampton are all reportedly keen on the Scottish star, and Celtic were not mentioned in that latest report.
Miller produced two goals and eight assists in 32 matches in the Scottish Premiership last season, which is why he is an attractive target for clubs, but the Hoops are now eyeing up a star who is even better than the teenage gem.
Celtic circling around deal for Serie B star
Whilst a move for the Motherwell talent may not be looking likely, given that they were not mentioned in the latest batch of clubs interested in him, Celtic could still find a new midfield star.
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According to The Boot Room, the Premiership champions are one of the sides ‘circling’ around a potential deal to sign Salvatore Esposito from Serie B team Spezia this summer.
The report claims that the Hoops have been keeping tabs on the Italy international and are now one of a clutch of clubs looking to snap him up ahead of next season.
It states that the likes of Sunderland, Rangers, Everton, and Fulham are also showing an interest in the £9m-rated star, who may be allowed to leave on loan with an option to make it permanent next summer.
Why Celtic should sign Salvatore Esposito
Brendan Rodgers should work hard to win the race for the Italian star’s signature this summer because he would be an even better signing for the club than Miller for next season.
Both players are central midfielders who can combine impressive contributions at the top end of the pitch with steely defensive work in the middle of the park, which makes them both valuable players to have in a squad.
However, their respective performances in the 2024/25 season suggest that it would be Esposito who would have a bigger impact on the pitch for the Hoops next term.
The Spezia maestro, who was described as a “tenacious” tackler by talent scout Jacek Kulig, was sensational in the Serie B last season with his ability to win duels and tackles, as well as score and create goals.
24/25 season
Esposito (Serie B)
Miller (Premiership)
Appearances
34
32
Goals
7
2
Big chances created
18
12
Assists
9
8
Tackles per game
1.8
1.8
Duels won per game
7.3
5.7
Ground duel success rate
67%
58%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Esposito scored five more goals and created six more chances, despite only playing two more games, in the league, which suggests that he would provide Celtic with a greater threat at the top end of the pitch.
His defensive numbers, in terms of duels won, tackles won, and his success rate in duels, also suggest that the Spezia midfielder would provide more protection in front of the back four than Miller would.
These statistics suggest that Esposito would be even better for Celtic than Miller would be next season, due to his qualities in and out of possession in the middle of the park, which is why he would be an even better signing for the club.
At the age of 24, he may not be a teenager like the Motherwell gem, but the Italian star is still young and has plenty of time left for him to develop and grow with Rodgers at Parkhead.
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It is now down to the club to strike a deal with Spezia to bring the Italy international to Glasgow, so that the club can move on from any interest they may still have in Miller.
