Let's be brutally frank about things here - Adam Idah is the player that South Korean forward Oh Hyeon-Gyu was supposed to be for Celtic. That's an undeniable fact, it is that simple.
The striker failed to make any significant impact at Celtic Park since moving from Suwon Bluewings 18 months ago. If you canvassed the Celtic manager and the supporters right now and conducted a straw poll as to who they would trust to lead the line with Oh and Idah as the choice then it would be a landslide in favour of the Norwich City and Republic of Ireland attacker. Brendan Rodgers certainly seems to think so. It is largely why Celtic are on the verge of sanctioning Oh's transfer to Belgian side Genk for £4.2 million which represents a tidy £1.7 million profit on a player who hasn't exactly pulled up trees during his stint in Glasgow.
A meagre 12 goals in 47 appearances and just six first-team starts for Celtic under both Ange Postecoglou and Rodgers tells its own sorry story especially when you compare and contrast Oh's modest figures to that of Idah's. The 23-year-old bagged nine goals in just four months in green and white including a league goal at Ibrox and a memorable last-minute Scottish Cup winner at Hampden Park against his city rivals to boot.
READ MORE: Celtic forward linked with transfer exit to Belgium
It was a contribution that was off the charts and was one of the major reasons Celtic clinched the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double. It is also why Rodgers covets the Norwich City asset so much and wants to make his stay in G40 a more permanent one.
Oh had his attributes but he played in flashes and never seemed to be the right fit for Celtic at any time. For Celtic to make any kind of profit on him represents good business practice. For those people who are stating that Oh will go on to be a star in Belgian football. Who cares? He was bought to be a star for Celtic. It hasn't materialised. The fortunes of Oh in the future will only matter if Celtic manages to weave any kind of sell-on clause into the deal with the Belgians.
Oh was purchased on the premise that he would be replacing free-scoring Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis. It was a Mark Lawwell production. The less said of his scouting record the better. He was allegedly cut from the same cloth as Giakouamkis - big, physical, strong, powerful and could pose problems to defenders.
Again we'll cut to the chase in terms of Oh. The bottom line is that Celtic cannot afford the luxury of having a non-scoring centre-forward and focal point in attack even if they are largely used as a backup to a main man. All the hold-up and link-up play in the world and running the channels matters not a jot when you can't put the ball in the pokey as a Celtic forward. Oh looked like a fish out of water in Rodgers' team.
The Northern Irishman didn’t know how to deploy him. He knew exactly how to deploy Idah. Idah was the catalyst and the spark that revived and kickstarted Celtic's season into gear when they needed it most.
(Image: Agency)
As Rodgers said in the aftermath of the Scottish Cup final win over Rangers: "For me, he was the catalyst for our season because we needed a different dimension up front and the big guy comes in and he's got so much potential.
"What I love about Adam is he's a big game player, he loves the big games and the big occasions so hopefully we can do something. He's still got a long-term deal at Norwich but he's someone I'd love to bring back here.
"At 23, with the potential he has and the qualities he has, I think he can push on in his career."
Oh was supposed to be that guy when he signed for Celtic. He was supposed to be a catalyst and fill the void left by Giakoumakis. Oh was given his chance under Rodgers to do exactly what Idah did and he was found wanting. He failed to grasp the nettle or opportunity when it presented itself.
The minute Idah started banging in the goals for Celtic, it was Oh who was slipping down the pecking order and getting further and further away from the first-team picture. In Idah, Rodgers knows exactly what he is getting. He was the impact player of all impact players bar none. It was Idah who changed the course of all sorts of games in the 2023/24 campaign.
Rodgers is acutely aware of that. Idah was the epitome of a Rodgers team that played with 'pace and power'. Idah was the player that Oh clearly thinks he is. Idah fulfilled the role with aplomb. Oh didn't. That's why the mood music in respect of the two players at this moment in their respective careers couldn't be any more stark. There is no clamour from the Celtic supporters for Oh to stay and reject the overtures from Belgium and fight for his position.
By contrast, Norwich City are believed to be commanding a fee of £8 million for Idah. New Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup is keen to assess Idah during pre-season and that's understandable. Rodgers wouldn't baulk at spending £8 million to get his man if that's what it takes. It will probably work out nearer the £6-7 million mark. It will also be Rodgers' ultimate statement of intent.
Speaking after the Republic of Ireland's 3-0 defeat to Portugal, Idah handed the speculation about a permanent move to Celtic like a pro by not being disrespectful and discourteous to his parent club.
READ MORE: The striker that Celtic MUST sign according to club greats
(Image: Agency)
Idah said: “Celtic is a massive club and built off the fans. Playing games like the Scottish Cup final, and scoring the winner, I’m sure the fans will appreciate it and I appreciate them just as much.
“I’m still contracted to Norwich and have four years left there. I’m still going back to Norwich as it stands, I haven’t really thought too much about it. I spoke briefly to Norwich about when I’m coming back. It’s difficult at the start of the window as it’s coming up to our summer holidays and we’re on internationals right now. I’ve never been in this situation before and don’t know much about how it works. We’re on internationals right now and that is my main focus. Then I’ll get a holiday or two in and see what happens.
“Look, I’m still at Norwich and I have four years at Norwich. They are my parent club and I don’t know what’s going on.”
Idah will be a signing that will show definitively that Rodgers is in total control of the football department at Celtic...as he should be. 'Box-office Brendan' bared his teeth on occasions last season. He was proven right in everything he said and did. There is an element of ruthlessness needed to conduct this football management malarkey as well. Those who represent impediments to the future success of the club will be sold, loaned or simply cast aside.
Oh could well turn out to be the first summer casualty of Rodgers' new-look, restructured and rebuilt Celtic. There is also a unique irony in all of this. The £4.2 million that Celtic will rake in for the sale of Oh to Genk which equals a nice £1.7 million profit could well turn out to be the money used to secure the transfer of Idah.
So, will Oh end up funding Idah's permanent move to Glasgow? Was Oh simply cast in the wrong Celtic movie? The South Korean attacker certainly failed to read the script or learn his lines at Parkhead. Now, Rodgers and the majority of the Celtic supporters crave one thing. The return of Idah. That would be the Hollywood blockbusting ending for all parties.
Idah's capture would feel a bit like a last-minute winner for Celtic in the Scottish Cup final against Rangers, wouldn't it? Oh, yes!
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