Celtic: Greg Taylor handed January transfer window lifeline | OneFootball

Despite Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou bringing five fresh faces into Parkhead during the January transfer window, the 56-year-old’s Bhoys side appear to still be lacking strength in depth in a couple of positions.

One such position is at left-back, with Adam Montgomery having departed Celtic Park on loan last month, and Boli Bolingoli looking to be very much out of the picture under the management of the Greek-Australian coach.

Seemingly as a result of this lack of depth on the left-hand side of his defence, Postecoglou was linked with moves for a number of left-backs in January, with Derby County’s Lee Buchanan and Barnsley’s Callum Styles being two of the more intriguing names reported.

However, with the 56-year-old failing to get a deal over the line for a new left-sided defender – or simply choosing not to pursue a move for a player in that position – last month, the club’s only natural left-back, Greg Taylor, now has a perfect opportunity to prove that he should be the undisputed first choice for the role – not just for the rest of this season, but for many a year to come.

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January transfer lifeline

Since joining Celtic from Kilmarnock back in 2019, Taylor has somewhat struggled to hold down a regular starting spot in the Bhoys XI – making 12 Premiership appearances in his debut campaign with the club, playing 26 league fixtures in 2020/21 and featuring 11 times in the top flight of Scottish football so far this season.

Indeed, it is not difficult to see why the £1.58m-rated defender is yet to truly establish himself as Celtic’s first choice in the position, as the 24-year-old’s seasonal SofaScore rating of 6.97 ranked him as the Hoops’ 16th-best performer last season, while his average match rating of 6.99 so far this term also ranks him as Postecoglou’s 16th-best player – of those who remain in the 56-year-old’s first-team squad.

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As such, should Taylor wish to forge himself a long-term career at Parkhead, the £8.2k-per-week Scotland international simply must take the opportunity handed to him by Celtic’s failure to sign a left-back this January during what remains of the current campaign – or else the man who James McFadden dubbed a “brilliant