A three-horse race looks to have become two following the weekend’s events, with reigning champions Celtic still keeping pace after battling to another hard-fought win at Easter Road on Sunday.
A season of turbulence could end in a domestic double for the Parkhead outfit, although the free-flowing football of previous years is now a distant memory, with the Hoops grinding their way to results under Martin O’Neill‘s watch.
Daizen Maeda might have found his groove of late, but the forward line has been distinctly underwhelming. Only Maeda and Benjamin Nygren have hit double figures for Premiership goals, while Kieran Tierney leads the way with seven assists.
In 2024/25, for comparison, five players scored ten or more league goals, while Nicolas Kuhn racked up 22 goal contributions from his right-wing berth, during what proved to be the German’s sole full season in Glasgow.
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Celtic top scorers – SPFL |
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|---|---|
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24/25 |
25/26 |
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Maeda – 16 |
Nygren – 15 |
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Kuhn – 13 |
Maeda – 10 |
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Idah – 13 |
Yang – 7 |
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Kyogo – 10 |
Tierney – 6 |
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Hatate – 10 |
Engels – 4 |
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Engels – 9 |
Iheanacho – 4 |
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McGregor – 8 |
Kenny – 4 |
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McCowan – 8 |
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Yang – 5 |
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Johnston & Jota – 4 |
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*4 or above |
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For all the efforts of Yang Hyun-jun, Kuhn’s right-wing berth simply hasn’t been filled following his £16.5m switch to Como, ensuring it remains a priority heading into this summer.
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Yang might have scored seven times in the top-flight in 2025/26, but even Michel Ange-Balikwisha has contributed more assists, with the Korean speedster yet to lay on a goal all season.
As for Sebastian Tounekti, meanwhile, the mercurial Tunisian has chalked up only two assists himself, one behind polarising centre-back Liam Scales.
That speaks to the stark decline that the Hoops have endured since Kuhn’s exit, ensuring the attacking ranks must well be part of the summer squad overhaul ahead of next term.
As per The Scottish Sun, one priority target in those wide berths is set to be Motherwell’s Elijah Just, having sent scouts again to watch the 26-year-old in action against Falkirk.
The report suggests that Celtic are weighing up a ‘summer bid’ for the New Zealand international, with efforts to win the race for his signature seemingly set to ramp up.
A candidate for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award, Just has also courted interest from Rangers following a stellar first season at Fir Park, with the winger having just 12 months remaining on his contract.
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His impact might have been short and sweet, but there was no denying Kuhn’s talent at his best, the 25-year-old overcoming a muted first six months in Glasgow to emerge as a shining light under Brendan Rodgers last season.
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Cutting in from the right flank onto his favoured left foot, the ex-Rapid Vienna man was so deadly both as a goalscorer and provider, ending that campaign with 36 goals and assists in all competitions.
Also the man who opened the scoring away at the Allianz Arena, Kuhn was yet another major modern success story for the club on the recruitment front, sold on for major profit after signing on a bargain £3m deal in January 2024.
The hope will be that a player like Just can finally fill the void on that right flank, with O’Neill having still been reliant on an ageing James Forrest amid the continued inconsistency of Yang and co.
Like Kuhn, the Motherwell man has proven himself to be such an asset both creatively and in front of goal, scoring and assisting seven times apiece in the Premiership to date.
There’s been no period of adaptation needed, with the Kiwi sensation having been one of many breakout stars in Scotland this season, after much of his work had come in the lower leagues of Danish football prior to 2025/26.
A goalscorer against Celtic at Parkhead earlier this year, Just lashed home past the stretching Viljami Sinisalo in Well’s 3-1 loss, having drifted over to the left flank in that instance.
While a right-winger by trade, he does boast that versatility and flexibility to be able to operate all across the front line or in a number ten berth, again mirroring Kuhn in that regard.
Either way, he is a creative menace, having supplied 11 ‘big chances’ in the Premiership so far, while averaging 1.4 key passes per game. For comparison, Kuhn also created 11 ‘big chances’ last season, while only just ahead with 1.6 key passes per game.
That certainly bodes well for the impact he can make at Celtic Park, with this deal seemingly a no brainer as far as the title chasers are concerned.
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