The Celtic academy teen who could replace Liel Abada
The promising teenager has been in excellent form for the B squad this season.
Celtic’s January transfer window closed, but they continue to sell players to other continents.
Forward Liel Abada was sold to MLS side Charlotte FC for a reported amount of £10 million earlier this month. This represents a significant profit over the £3.5 million the club paid to sign him under Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2021.
The Israel international has limited playing time for the Hoops due to personal concerns, namely the current turmoil in the Middle East, according to manager Brendan Rodgers.
Celtic’s decision to part ways with him outside of a transfer window means they will be unable to sign a replacement from another club. However, current B team star Corey Thomson could emerge as an unexpected substitute for the 22-year-old genius.
Liel Abada’s Celtic career statistics
The right-sided attacker left Parkhead after 112 appearances with 29 goals and 22 assists in all competitions.
Throughout his tenure in Glasgow, Abada demonstrated his ability to score and create goals, averaging a direct goal contribution per 2.20 matches.
| 22/23 Premiership | Liel Abada |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 34 |
| Starts | 13 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Assists | 5 |
| Big chances created | 10 |
Under Postecoglou’s guidance in the Scottish Premiership last season, the explosive attacker impressed with 15 goals and assists despite only starting 13 league matches (see table above).
He made a significant effect as a goal scorer, with one strike every 3.4 Premier League appearances on average, and Rodgers might replace that goal threat by bringing Thomson into the first squad.
Corey Thomson’s B-team statistics
Despite only turning 18 in December of last year, the talented youngster has been a regular for Celtic B in the Lowland League for the past two seasons.
During the 2022/23 season, the teenager scored six goals and had zero assists in 25 league games for the young Hoops, averaging one strike per 4.1 appearances.
He also finished the season with a magnificent goal against Rangers in the Scottish Youth Cup, as shown in the video below, in which Thomson cut inside and hammered the ball into the bottom corner.
In the 2023/24 Lowland League season, the Scotland U18 international has scored seven goals and provided one assist in 20 games.
Thomson has scored once every 2.9 league games for Celtic B this season, which is more than Abada did in the Premiership under Postecoglou last season.
The Livingston-born talent, who can play on either side or through the middle as an offensive midfielder, has consistently scored goals from a wide position in the past two seasons.
It is now up to Rodgers to give the seven-goal academy dynamo a chance to demonstrate that he has the maturity and quality to make the step up to first-team level and emerge as a surprise replacement for Abada from the youth set-up, rather than entering the market in the summer to bring in a multi-million-pound heir.
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