Why Fourth Choice Centre Back Matters

Neither Murray nor Nawrocki are hills to die on, but how the Pole's likely departure materialised may tell us much about how the club is currently being run

It is being reported that Racing Club Lens are interested in signing Celtic’s centre back Maik Nawrocki.

The Pole has returned to the club after a loan spell in Germany, and had featured in both friendlies played thus far, covering for both Cameron Carter-Vickers on the right and then Auston Trusty/Liam Scales on the left.

Martin O’Neill has been reported as stating that he is currently 5^th choice behind the aforementioned plus Dane Murray - “It’s going to be hard for him to battle through from that there.” O’Neill is reported as saying in the Celtic Way.

RC Lens will be in the Champions League next season after finishing behind Paris St-Germain in Ligue Une. They are well respected for their recruitment efforts.

With Carter-Vickers yet to prove his long-term durability, with Scales the cover for Kieran Tierney at left back, and with Murray not yet proven in terms of reliability, it seems a risk to go with those four only.

I would imagine he is vying with Murray for the spot to back up Carter-Vickers, being predominantly right footed. He is 25 so likely wanting to find regular first team football. Murray is 23.

Both have accumulated just over 1000 minutes in their time at Celtic although neither have had long runs in the team. With Murray on 1093 and Nawrocki on 1079 it is at least a fair comparison, and both have logged the requisite 900 minutes. The data here represents an aggregate view across multiple seasons.

This isn’t really about Murray or Nawrocki per se, it is about how Celtic may be thinking about transfers and squad management.