Meet the £6m Celtic target who could be unplayable with Camilo Duran

First impressions can be fatal in Glasgow, with a slow start in a Celtic shirt so difficult to recover from – just ask Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

On the flip side, there are few better places than Parkhead to announce yourself as a genuine star in the making, with Camilo Duran doing just that on Wednesday evening.

Fresh from netting his first goal away at Tannadice, the Colombian played a starring role in the Hoops’ vital 3-0 win over LASK Linz, producing two finishes of supreme class to send Celtic Park into a frenzy.

The Scottish champions might well have wasted £5m on that man Balikwisha a year ago, but for just a fraction more at £5.5m, they look to already be onto a winner with Duran.

Duran’s sensational LASK display in numbers

It wasn’t exactly a vintage goal that saw Duran get off the mark at the weekend, with much of the praise surrounding the 24-year-old having been centred on his off-the-ball work.

The ‘new Daizen Maeda’ showed against the Austrian champions that there’s plenty more to his game than that, however, proving such a handful down the right flank.

He notably latched onto a delightful Colby Donovan pass early on, only to see his prod head agonisingly wide, while also striking on the turn with his right foot as Celtic probed for an opener.

REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

That breakthrough ultimately came courtesy of Benjamin Nygren, yet Duran quickly eclipsed the Swede’s sweeping finish with a remarkable volley of his own, a fine way to bag his first goal in front of the Celtic support.

The two goalscorers then combined beautifully for what could potentially be a decisive third goal in the tie, the former Qarabag man exchanging a one-two with Nygren before rifling the ball into the top corner.

In Martin O’Neill‘s view, the South American has already paid back his transfer fee and then some, with there a relentlessness to his game that is to be admired.

Indeed, he attempted six shots, registered six attempted dribbles and made seven progressive carries, all while also racking up five ball recoveries as he regularly aided Donovan behind him.

That problematic right flank now looks to have found its solution, but the question remains as to who will be the long-term partner behind him.

How Celtic can sign Duran’s perfect partner before the deadline

There’s no denying that Wednesday was also a standout night for young Donovan, the 19-year-old hardly putting a foot wrong in the absence of Alistair Johnston.

The severity of the Canadian’s injury is yet to be confirmed, and with Everton still lurking in the background, Johnston’s future remains uncertain.

It would then be a significant responsibility for the teenage Donovan to be installed as the primary option at right-back, hence why the Hoops would be wise to consider a potential incoming.

As per German outlet Absolut Fussbal, Celtic have expressed ‘concrete interest’ in signing Japanese defender, Yukinari Sugawara, with PSV Eindhoven also in the mix.

Sugawara, 26, spent last season on loan at Bundesliga side Werder Bremen and was also a part of Japan’s World Cup squad, hence the level of interest in him.

He still has two years left on his deal at parent club Southampton, with the Saints seeking a fee of around €7m (£6m) if they are to cash in any time soon.

Sugawara certainly wouldn’t come cheap, yet the prospect of him linking up with Duran is an exciting one, with this a man who loves to get forward himself from right back.

That was evident last term, as the on-loan Bremen man racked up six assists in the Bundesliga, while creating four ‘big chances’, seen just as regularly in the opposition half as he was in his own.

To emphasise why he could be a perfect fit for Duran, Sugawara also notably ranked in the top 17% of fullbacks in Europe’s big five leagues for through ball passes made per 90, a further sign of his forward-thinking, progressive quality.

He also ranked in the top 12% for progressive passes per 90, as well as in the top 17% for progressive actions, seemingly in the Johnston or Josip Juranovic mould as an attack-minded right-back who loves to pick out those ahead of him.

Of course, Wednesday showcased that there could be a fruitful partnership developing between Donovan and Duran, with O’Neill needing to ensure the young Scot’s development isn’t hampered.

And yet, if Johnston is to be sidelined or depart, having a genuinely elite, first-choice figure like Sugawara would be a bonus, the experienced asset also previously lining up for Southampton in the Premier League, racking up seven ‘big chances’ created in 2024/25.

At times last season, Celtic’s right-hand side felt like a real weak point due to the presence of Tony Ralston and the lack of a genuine right-winger, but with Duran, and potentially Sugawara, in tow, they could be looking back to their Ange Postecoglou best.