Celtic need to add to their options in the wide areas before the summer transfer window officially slams shut for business at the start of September.
The Hoops have sold Nicolas Kuhn to Italian side Como and have lost Jota to a long-term injury in the last few months, and they are yet to replace either of them.
The pair combined for 17 goals and 11 assists in 43 games in the Scottish Premiership during the 2024/25 campaign, which shows how much quality Brendan Rodgers has lost from his side.
Jota could be out until February of next year with a knee injury and this means that the Hoops are particularly light on the left wing, especially if Rodgers wants to use Daizen Maeda through the middle.
Celtic have reportedly identified Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha as one of their top targets to come in to bolster their options on the flanks, and are in talks over a deal to sign him.
However, the Belgian side are currently sticking to their £5m valuation of the forward and it remains to be seen if an agreement can be reached.
What Michel-Ange Balikwisha could bring to Celtic
If the Scottish Premiership champions are able to get a deal over the line for the 24-year-old winger, Rodgers could have a very capable deputy for Jota until the Portuguese star returns next year.
Balikwisha played 90 minutes against USG in the opening game of the Pro League season on Saturday, creating one ‘big chance’ but failing to score or assist a goal in a 1-1 draw.
The Belgian whiz scored four goals and provided three assists in 17 appearances in all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, and delivered ten goals and six assists in 42 outings in the previous season for Royal Antwerp.
These statistics suggest that Balikwisha could bring a decent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals to Celtic, although he has yet to prove that he can score or assist goals at an exceptional rate as of yet.
24/25
3
205
29
23/24
1
49
10
22/23
2
103
14
21/22
2
51
10
However, as you can see in the table above, the £5m-rated star’s injury history over the last four seasons is a bit of a concern, as he has missed at least ten games through injury in all four years.
The Hoops must weigh up his potential quality on the pitch against the possibility that he could miss a lot of games through injury during the season.
That is why they may also look at alternative options if Royal Antwerp do not budge on their valuation of the forward, amid a reported interest in another left-sided attacker.
Celtic have long-term interest in Norwegian star
According to the Daily Record, Celtic maintain a long-term interest in talented Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter, who they failed to sign in January.
The report claims that the Hoops were ‘close’ to signing the Norwegian star at the start of the year, but the 21-year-old whiz decided that he was not ready to make the step at that moment in time.
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It adds that Sarpsborg are currently looking for a fee of around £7m to part ways with the winger, who was the subject of a £4m offer from the Premiership champions in the January window.
The Daily Record states that Balikwisha is at the top of their shortlist of options to fill that left-wing spot, and reveals that Orjasaeter has fallen down the list, despite the club being long-term admirers of him.
Despite the current situation and where they sit on the club’s transfer priorities, Rodgers must now consider pushing for Celtic to swoop for Orjasaeter as he could be even better than Balikwisha.
Why Celtic should sign Sondre Orjasaeter
The Norway U21 international could be an even better signing for the club than the Belgian attacker for a host of reasons, not least because of his durability.
As per Transfermarkt, the Sarpsborg wonderkid has only missed two matches through injury in two-and-a-bit seasons at first-team level so far, which suggests that the Hoops could reasonably expect him to be available for selection week-in-week-out this season.
At the age of 21, the right-footed playmaker is also three years younger than Balikwisha and may, therefore, have more time left ahead of him to grow, develop, and increase in value, which may be why he would be worth the extra £2m that it could take to sign him.
Along with his durability and potential, Orjasaeter’s performances on the pitch in Norway suggest that he has the quality, particularly as a creator, to offer even more to the Hoops than Balikwisha could.
Appearances
41
49
Goals
6
11
Big chances created
23
13
Key passes per game
1.9
1.5
Assists
7
8
Dribbles completed per game
2.4
0.4
As you can see in the table above, the Norwegian talent has produced 29 goals and ‘big chances’ created in his last 41 league appearances for Sarpsborg, whilst the Belgian whiz has managed 24 in 49 games in his last two seasons in the Pro League.
These statistics suggest that Orjasaeter, who was once described as an “interesting” young prospect by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has the potential to offer even more of a threat in front of goal than Balikwisha, mainly as a creator.
The young whiz has been incredibly unlucky to only register seven assists in that time, as wasteful finishing from his teammates has let him down. In the 2025 campaign, for example, the Celtic target has only registered two assists from 11 ‘big chances’ created.
His vastly superior dribbling statistics also show that the £7m-rated star could be very useful when the Hoops need to transition up the pitch quickly, possibly in European matches where they are not expected to be as dominant in possession, as he can consistently dribble past opposition defenders.
This means that Orjasaeter could be more effective on the wing for Celtic in Champions League games, as a player who can drive the team up the pitch to gain territory.
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Overall, Celtic should consider swooping for the Norwegian youngster instead of Balikwisha because of his creative quality, his ball-carrying ability, his potential, and his durability.