Celtic ended their 2023/24 campaign last month with a 1-0 win over their closest rivals in the final of the SFA Cup at Hampden Park to secure a domestic double.
Adam Idah's late winner with the final touch of his loan spell from Norwich City won the tournament for the Hoops, shortly after they had won and lifted the Scottish Premiership double.
Brendan Rodgers won two trophies in his first year back in the dugout at Parkhead, having replaced Ange Postecoglou last summer, and will now be aiming for more silverware next term.
The Northern Irish head coach could look to utilise the upcoming summer transfer window, which opens for business this month, to bolster his squad for the new campaign.
A goalkeeper is on the agenda for the Scottish giants after Joe Hart's retirement and exit from Paradise, with Liverpool's Caoimhin Keller having recently been linked with a move to the club.
However, Celtic are also looking to add to their playing squad in other areas of the pitch, and are reportedly looking at a central defender from the Premier League.
Celtic's interest in £8m colossus
According to the Daily Mail, Rodgers is lining up a possible swoop to add Bournemouth centre-back Chris Mepham to the club's defensive set-up this summer.
The report claims that the Scottish giants have added that Wales international to their list of targets, as they look to bolster their defence over the coming weeks and months.
It states that the Cherries are looking for a fee within the region of £8m in order to allow the right-footed titan to depart the Vitality Stadium ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to meet their demands at this moment in time. Mepham has one year left to run on his current contract with the Premier League outfit, which is why Bournemouth may look to cash in now in order to avoid losing him for nothing next summer.
The Daily Mail adds that Sheffield United, who are now in the Championship, and Leeds United were both keen on a deal for the Cherries ace during the January transfer window.
There is no mention of any current interest from those two sides and it is unclear as to how much competition Celtic are facing to land the brute's signature.
The report also claims that Rodgers is looking to add more quality to his side at goalkeeper, left-back, centre-back, midfield, and in the attacking areas, which suggests that there could be plenty of inwards business before September's deadline.
Going back to Mepham, Rodgers and Celtic could find the club's next version of Cameron Carter-Vickers by securing a deal to sign the defender this summer.
Celtic's Cameron Carter-Vickers masterclass
The Hoops initially signed the USA international on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021, before they made the deal permanent the following year.
They brought him to Parkhead on loan after he had enjoyed an impressive spell on loan with Bournemouth in the Championship during the 2020/21 campaign.
The Spurs loanee won 60% of his duels, including 66% of his battles on the deck, across 21 outings in the second tier for the Cherries that term.
This shows that he had the quality and the physicality to consistently dominate opposition attackers in physical contests, which Celtic may have noticed and hoped would translate over to football in Scotland.
Postecoglou took a gamble on the American colossus and it has paid off big time for the Bhoys as his dominant defensive work has translated over to the Premiership over the last three seasons.
Duel success rate
68%
69%
68%
Ground duel success rate
59%
59%
62%
Aerial duel success rate
73%
74%
71%
As you can see in the table above, Carter-Vickers has consistently dominated opposition defenders in duels on the deck and in the air to help his side win the last three league titles.
The 26-year-old titan has been a brickwall at the back at times for Celtic and Mepham has the potential to arrive and provide a similar presence at the heart of the defence for Rodgers, should the Hoops decide to strike a deal for his services this summer.
Why Chris Mepham could be Cameron Carter-Vickers 2.0
Just like Carter-Vickers was not getting a sniff of the first-team at Spurs, the Welsh colossus has not been a regular in the Bournemouth team of late.
The 26-year-old ace only started six Premier League games and made ten appearances in the division this season, which illustrates how far down the pecking order he has been.
Mepham did, however, start 24 matches in the top-flight during the 2022/23 campaign and showcased his potential to be a dominant force at the back for Celtic.
He won 63% of his duels on the ground and 62% of his aerial contests across 26 appearances in the Premier League for Bournemouth, which shows that the Hoops target has the physicality to dominate opposition attackers at the top level of English football.
The Cherries outcast has recently showcased his quality in that respect whilst playing for Wales during their qualifiers for the European Championships this season, with an aerial duel success rate of 71% across nine appearances during the qualification campaign.
Minutes played
1,095
1,845
Tackles + interceptions per 90
2.88
2.19
Blocks per 90
1.15
1.22
Aerial duels won per 90
4.03
2.93
Progressive passes per 90
3.78
1.90
Progressive carries per 90
1.23
0.44
As you can see in the table above, Mepham, who was hailed as "aggressive" by manager Scott Parker, also outperformed Carter-Vickers in their last Championship seasons respectively, with his work in and out of possession.
He made significantly more progressive carries and passes to help his side on the ball whilst also winning more aerial duels, tackles, and interceptions combined per 90.
This suggests that the Bournemouth defender has the potential to replicate Carter-Vickers' success in Scotland as his statistics in the Premier League, at international level, and in the Championship suggest that the quality is there for him to be an excellent player for Celtic.
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The Hoops could avoid splashing out cash on a new signing by bringing through this young talent.
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Therefore, Rodgers could land his next version of the American titan by securing a deal to sign the £8m-rated star, who could resurrect his career by moving to Scotland to showcase his dominant defending and progressive passing.
