Celtic are eager to add another centre forward before the January transfer window closes as Martin O’Neill looks to strengthen his attacking options.
One of the names under consideration is Bowie, a forward who stands out because of his experience in the Scottish Premiership and his ability to adapt quickly at Parkhead. The 23 year old has already netted eight league goals for Hibernian this season, according to Sofascore, with only Celtic’s Benjamin Nygren ahead of him in the scoring charts.
Whoever arrives, Celtic’s priority is clear. They need a dependable goalscorer to truly replace the impact left behind by Kyogo Furuhashi.
Assessing Celtic’s forwards since Kyogo’s exit
Kyogo departed for Rennes last January in a £10 million deal, ending his Celtic career with 85 goals in 165 appearances across all competitions. He delivered double figures in Premiership goals in every one of his four seasons, underlining just how consistent he was.
Since then, Daizen Maeda has surprisingly been the most productive option through the middle, scoring 13 goals in 20 games despite being naturally suited to the wing. Adam Idah also made a solid contribution with 12 goals in 26 appearances before moving to Swansea last summer, but he too has not been properly replaced.
Maeda leads the post Kyogo era in terms of output, with Idah close behind. In contrast, Johnny Kenny and Kelechi Iheanacho have struggled to make a lasting impression, while Shin Yamada has offered very little in front of goal.
The fact that a winger has been Celtic’s most effective central scorer since Kyogo left highlights the need for a specialist number nine. While Bowie remains an appealing option, Celtic have also been linked with another striker who could offer an even more convincing long term solution.