Celtic are seemingly in the market for a defensive midfielder to replace the departed Nir Bitton. The now former Hoops star didn’t feature for the Bhoys every week, but you only have to look at how big part he played in key wins over Livingston and Rangers towards the end of last season to show how valuable a player he could be.

Now he has left the club, the Hoops will want a replacement, and there has been a lot of speculation about Celtic making a move for Vincius Souza, but as yet no deal has been reached over any possible bid.

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Perhaps the answer to the Bitton replacement is already in the Hoops squad. Looking at the squad, there are three players who could take Bitton’s place: Ismaila Soro, James McCarthy and Yosuke Ideguchi.

Of the above mentioned trio, all three should be given starts in Celtic’s pre-season games, but you have to think that Ideguchi has the most chances of becoming a regular fixture in the Hoops side in season 2022/23.

He was signed by Postecoglou in January, and probably would have featured in the side on a regular basis if he hadn’t been injured in his only start for the Hoops so far, against Alloa. He did come back towards the end of the season but didn’t make another start.

McCarthy, even though he was signed by Postecoglou, rarely featured for the Hoops in the second-half of the season, and Soro, who wasn’t signed by the current Celtic manager, rarely featured at all, but both players deserve to be given a chance at least in Celtic’s pre-season games.

If Celtic do sign a defensive midfielder before the transfer window closes, then you have to think that at least one player will leave the club as a result and that will most likely be Soro.

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He will be wanting a new challenge due to his lack of playing time, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Soro move on before the transfer window closes if the Hoops make a midfield season.

In the meantime though, Soro, McCarthy and Ideguchi should at least be given a chance by Celtic over the six friendlies that are played over the next few weeks to see which of the trio has the best chance of replacing Nir Bitton. 

Perhaps none of the trio will take the opportunity afforded to them, but there is always the chance that one of the three makes the most of the chance they get and go on to become a Hoops mainstay.