For all the talk about the likes of Kasper Schmeichel and Auston Trusty of late, Celtic’s defensive woes should not overshadow what has been a poor campaign for the forwards at Parkhead.
After moving on from a host of strikers including Johnny Kenny, Shin Yamada, Callum Osmand, Kelechi Iheanacho, Junior Adamu and Tomas Cvancara, it is surprising that Kenny – now on loan at Bolton Wanderers – has become the club’s top scorer in 2025/26, scoring just six goals.
With last season’s 33-goal scorer, Daizen Maeda, enduring a real setback, the Hoops probably don’t have their hero, Benjamin Nygren, to thank for their continued push for the Premiership title.
A sometimes divisive figure in Glasgow, the classy Swede has been in hot form since Martin O’Neill’s return from the dugout, cementing his place as the club’s undisputed player of the season so far.
Why Nygren should be Celtic’s player of the season
A mystery. That’s the best way to describe the 24-year-old Celtic star, with Nygren making up for his physical shortcomings by proving more of a presence in 2026, in particular.
While looking a yard short on speed at times, you can’t argue with the player’s record of play so far, as he has scored 18 points in all competitions following his arrival from Nordsjaelland.
For just £1.7m, the left-back is now the league’s top scorer with 14 goals, battling Celtic target Tawanda Maswanhise for the golden boot.
Having scored four goals already in the Europa League, including the latest defeat at the hands of Stuttgart, Nygren’s tally of 18 has put him at the top of Celtic’s scoring charts this season, with Maeda sitting in second place.
That status as O’Neill’s front man has been reinforced in recent weeks, notably, as he has scored six times in his last seven Premiership games, netting the equalizer in the win over Kilmarnock.
A hard-hitting, poaching ball-striker in his midfield and attacking midfield, the Swede has missed just five ‘big chances’ in the league so far, while boasting a 21% goal-scoring rate.
Maswanhise, by comparison, missed eight ‘big chances’, despite recording a 23% conversion rate.
With so much upheaval this season, Nygren has been one consistent player, though is anyone really safe this summer?
Celtic’s Nygren 2.0 needs to be sold this summer
Perhaps in the same vein as Cyril Dessers at Rangers, Nygren’s impact and quality continue to be debated, and even his recent form cannot hide wider issues.
The £8m Celtic star looks like another Nygren in the making under O’Neill
Celtic kept their Premiership hopes alive as they made a stunning comeback on Sunday afternoon.
According to Chris Sutton, he is “a good footballer”, but “I don’t think he can run”.
That ongoing discussion reflects a long-standing debate about Arne Engels, another young Belgian who has been under the microscope in Glasgow.
Although criticism of the 22-year-old’s performance has come largely due to his club-record £11m price tag, his start in the side has always been questioned, even though he has been regularly chipped in with goals and assists.
Indeed, like Nygren, the former Augsburg star boasts an impressive record in a Celtic shirt, scoring 35 goals and assisting in 90 games so far, despite operating as a deep-lying midfielder.
Like Nygren, Engels appears to have benefited from O’Neill’s influence this season, with the 73-year-old’s two-time spell in charge seeing the youngster net nine goals and assists in 15 games.
The concern, like Nygren, however, is what he gives without treatment, despite Brendan Rodgers being recognized as a “powerful” asset, winning just 33% of his ground competitions this season, while receiving an average of only 1.9 balls on average in the Premiership.
|
Engels vs Hearts – 25 Jan 2026 |
|
|---|---|
|
Mathematics |
Record |
|
Minutes |
90 |
|
To touch |
46 |
|
Pass rate |
62% |
|
Key passes |
1 |
|
Dribbles |
0/0 |
|
The ball is lost |
16 |
|
Fighting |
0/0 |
|
Ground duels won |
1/5 |
|
Aerial duels won |
4/12 |
|
He passed |
2 |
There is elegance and silkiness to his game, not least from set-pieces, although Engels can easily pass through midfield, especially as he struggled at Tynecastle last month.
There is an argument that recent results, amid injuries to the playing field, have shown his value to the side, although if the likes of Nottingham Forest come knocking again this summer, the Parkhead boss will need money.
For all his potential, a fee like the £25m rejected on deadline day would certainly be too good to pass up, at least with this club in need of an Ange Postecoglou-style overhaul this summer.
In a similar vein to Nygren, Engels has emerged as a key figure in a struggling Celtic side, but is he ready to take the club where they want to go? That remains to be seen.
Not just Mwuka: £6m Parkhead man not to start over at Celtic
After Kilmarnock’s top performance, Celtic were brought back to earth this week.
