Celtic were dealt a blow this week as the club officially confirmed that Carl Starfelt has moved on to join La Liga side Celta Vigo for an undisclosed fee.
Who has left Celtic this summer?
Prior to the Sweden international's departure from Parkhead, Brendan Rodgers had already lost central midfielder Aaron Mooy and winger Jota.
The former decided to call time on his professional playing career and retired from the game after one season in Scotland, whilst the latter completed a reported £25m switch to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad.
Marco Tilio, Hyun-jun Yang, Maik Nawrocki, Odin Thiago Holm, and Hyeok-kyu Kwon have all come in to bolster the squad but the Hoops could now be forced back into the market after this latest sale.
Who could replace Carl Starfelt at Celtic?
Rodgers could unearth a clever replacement for the Swedish central defender by securing a deal to sign reported transfer target Scott McTominay from Manchester United.
The towering titan has experience playing there for Scotland and once claimed that the position comes as "second nature" to him now, as he had played there previously at club level.
Despite being a defensive midfielder by trade, the Red Devils have played him in the heart of the defence on occasion and club legend Gary Neville suggested in 2020 that he could see a future for the 26-year-old ace in that role.
The former United full-back stated that the talented gem has the speed, aggression, and understanding of the game to thrive as a central defender, which has been utilised by Steve Clarke at international level.
McTominay has the physical and defensive attributes to excel in that position. Standing at 6 foot 4, the English-born brute is an imposing figure on the pitch who could provide a big presence in both boxes from set-pieces and crosses into the box to clear danger or provide a goal threat.
The Red Devils academy graduate only started ten Premier League matches last term but his form throughout the 2021/22 campaign showcased his ability across 28 starts.
In that season, he won an impressive 67% of his aerial duels and made 3.2 tackles and interceptions per match for his side, which is more than any Hoops player managed last term in the Scottish Premiership and shows that the £60k-per-week giant is able to consistently win possession back for his team.
These statistics show that McTominay is dominant in the air and does not allow the opposition to get the better of him in those battles very often, which could make him an ideal centre-back when it comes to dealing with opponents who want to consistently launch crosses into the box to create chances.
The United outcast, who ex-midfielder Danny Murphy dubbed a "nightmare" to play against due to his ability to "destroy" attacks, could, therefore, be a fantastic signing for the Hoops to replace Starfelt.
Due to him being a natural midfielder, McTominay would not be an obvious replacement for the Swedish titan but Rodgers could be clever and use his experience playing in that position to bolster Celtic's squad before the deadline passes next month.
