John Hartson thinks record-breaking striker could end up signing for Celtic

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With Celtic said to be in the hunt for a new number nine in the January window, John Hartson has made a suggestion that seems to have come from left-field.

Brendan Rodgers runs the risk of entering January without a recognised striker should Kyogo Furuhashi and Hyeongyu Oh be called up for the Asian Cup so the need to add a new number nine could not be greater.

And whilst discussing transfers on The Go Radio Football Show with Mark Guidi, Hartson suggested that Celtic could sign 32-year-old Dutch striker, Kevin van Veen.

Guidi: “I wonder if Shankland ends up at Rangers, will [Kevin] van Veen end up at Hearts?”

Hartson: “Or Celtic.”

Kevin van Veen Celtic striker?

I have to say, I genuinely can’t see this one happening. At 32-years old, the Groningen striker is so far out of Celtic’s transfer model it’s unreal.

There is no denying that van Veen is a very good striker. Prior to leaving Motherwell for Dutch second tier side, Groningen, he scored 29 goals in 44 games for The Steelmen. Overall in his Motherwell career, he netted 40 times in 83 games. [Transfermarkt]

Which, to be honest, is a great return for a striker in one of the smallest teams in the league.

14 of those were scored in 11 consecutive games which is a record in the modern game. [BBC]

But since his move back to Holland, van Veen has struggled to find that goalscoring form that made him so dangerous in Scotland.

Five goals in 15 appearances in the Dutch second division does not scream a potential Celtic striker to me.

With van Veen keen on returning to Scotland I think this is one that Celtic must avoid and let other clubs in the Scottish Premiership fight it out for his signature.

In other news, Martin O’Neill shares what Henrik Larsson privately admitted to him about Celtic and Barcelona