Celtic’s World Cup Wingers — Promise, Pressure… But Are Yang and Tounekti Truly Celtic Level?
Celtic’s World Cup Wingers — Promise, Pressure… But Are Yang and Tounekti Truly Celtic Level?
Aodhán Ó Conchobhair 
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 01: Sebastian Tounekti and Yang Hyun-Jun during a Celtic training session at Lennoxtown Training Centre, on May 01, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Celtic find themselves in a strange but familiar position with their wide players right now, particularly Yang Hyun-jun and Sebastian Tounekti.
On one hand, there is international recognition.
There are World Cup call-ups.
There are flashes of real talent.
On the other hand, something still feels missing.
Something important.
For a club built on elite wide players of recent years, the comparison is unavoidable.
Maeda, Jota, Abada, Kuhn, James Forrest at his peak.
That is the standard.
So the question is simple.
Are Yang and Tounekti producing enough?
Yang Hyun-jun — Moments, But Not Control
It could have all looked very different for Yang Hyun-jun.
He was close to leaving in the summer.
Birmingham City were interested.
The move never happened.
Some may call that a blessing.
He has since become more involved at Celtic.
There have been important moments.
There has been clear improvement.
Under Brendan Rodgers, chances were limited.
But he still showed glimpses of skill and directness with a missing end product.
He scored a key goal against Feyenoord in Europe, goals againstst mirren and Dundee United.
He scored Celtic’s goal of the season against Sevco.
He also impressed in spells under different systems.
He has shown versatility in wide and deeper roles.
But consistency is still missing.
The numbers reflect that clearly.
Yang record: 43 appearances, 9 goals, 2 assists.
For a third-season Celtic winger, that is not enough.
Not when compared to past standards.
Not in a title-chasing team.
Sebastian Tounekti — Talent, But Still Not Settled
Sebastian Tounekti brings a different profile.
He is technical.
He is international level.
He is heading to a World Cup.
He started well under Brendan Rodgers.
There was directness and confidence in his play.
That early impact stood out immediately.
Then came a different role under Wilfried Nancy.
He was used as a wing-back.
That spell did not really work…but who did under him?
Since then under Martin O’Neill, it has been mixed.
There have been moments.
But not enough control over games.
Pat Bonner summed it up clearly after Hibs.
“Tounekti was out there for a huge period, and nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
He also referenced his early form.
“When I watched him when he came in first, he was doing that quite a bit.”
“But now he has almost stopped doing it.”
That is the concern.
Defenders now know his movement.
He cuts inside too often.
He rarely beats his man consistently.
And the output still does not match expectation.
Tounekti record: 43 appearances, 9 goals, 2 assists.
That is not enough for a Celtic attacker.
What a Celtic Winger Actually Looks Like
This is where the real issue sits.
Celtic wingers have always had one key requirement.
End product.
Scott Sinclair is a perfect example.
He delivered goals instantly.
He changed games regularly.
That is the benchmark.
That is what Celtic expect.
Right now, Yang and Tounekti are not matching it.
There are flashes.
There are moments.
But Celtic wingers are not judged on flashes.
They are judged on output.
And neither player has fully delivered that yet.
Both have also worked under constant managerial change.
Rodgers, Nancy, O’Neill.
Different roles every time.
That has not helped consistency.
But it cannot explain everything.
International Call-Ups vs Celtic Reality
Both players are going to the World Cup.
Yang with South Korea.
Tounekti with Tunisia.
That speaks to their talent level.
But international football is different.
It is not weekly pressure.
It is not a title race demand.
At Celtic, the standard is harsher.
You are not picked for potential.
You are picked for impact.
Final View — Squad Players, Not Starters
This is where I land on both.
They are not first-choice Celtic wingers.
Not at this stage.
They are squad options.
Rotation players.
Cover in wide areas.
But that raises the real question.
If they are only squad players at Celtic… why are they here?
Because Celtic’s wide positions have never been built on almost-good-enough players.
They have always been built on decisive ones.
Key Takeaways
- Celtic’s wide players, Yang Hyun-jun and Sebastian Tounekti, show potential but lack consistent output.
- Yang has had key moments but only 9 goals and 2 assists in 43 appearances, falling short of Celtic’s historical standards.
- Tounekti has technical skill and international recognition, yet struggles with control and impact, matching Yang’s stats.
- Celtic expects wingers to deliver end product; both players currently only provide flashes of talent.
- Neither player has established themselves as first-choice wingers, raising questions about their roles at the club.
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Eric Knott 
Maybe if they were allowed/encouraged to hit the byline more often they would be more productive and there would be less need to check VAR for offside every time.