Three Bundesliga players Celtic should target - Stefan Bienkowski

In the long-term, however, their ability to overcome Rangers and other domestic rivals will come down to their knowledge and execution in the transfer market.

Unlike the deep pockets of English Premier League sides, Celtic have to make their money go a long way and that means scouting the stars of tomorrow before clubs with more resources - and, perhaps, more enticing offers - find them first.

However, that doesn’t always mean digging through the backwaters of European football for a few diamonds in the rough. Sometimes smart signings can be found in the most obvious places. You just have to look hard enough.

Indeed, one league that is packed full of exciting players that have been overlooked by the riches of the Premier League is the German Bundesliga.

Here are three players that Celtic could target in the coming transfer windows and sign before they become bigger and more expensive players.

1. Iago (left-back, Augsburg)

After coming through the youth academy at Internacional in Brazil, Iago then made a move to Augsburg in January 2019 and has slowly but surely developed into a promising left-back.

Although the defender’s first full season at the Bundesliga side was dogged by two bad injuries, which ruled him out of all but 10 league games, Iago then regained his fitness and nailed down a starting role in Heiko Herrlich’s side. And he looks even better in this current campaign.

Iago's heatmap. Source: WyScout

With two assists in his first seven games, Iago is at his best when played as a wing-back since his talents lie in the final third.

The defender undoubtedly thrives in dribbling with the ball, his close control and his early and late crosses into the box. Exactly the kind of left-back Celtic need to break down stubborn Premiership defences.

2. Jan Thielmann (forward, FC Koln)

If Celtic want to be really smart about scouting the Bundesliga, they should be targeting players that have emerged from the many impressive youth academies across the country and sign up players before they make a proper name for themselves at senior level.

The Scottish giants could certainly try that with FC Koln forward Jan Thielmann, who is in the process of nailing down a spot in Steffen Baumgart’s side and could be worth a fortune a few years from now.

Since breaking into the Koln first team in 2019, Thielmann has averaged around 0.32 goals or assists per 90. And while that may not sound remarkable, it’s worth bearing in mind that for much of his time at the club, Koln have either been trying to avoid the prospect of relegation or fighting for their very survival in play-off games.

If Thielmann can pick up a run of form that would allow him to score even half his tally for the Koln youth teams - no less than 30 goals in 58 games or 0.64 goals per 90 - then he’ll quickly become a sought-after talent in Germany. Perhaps Celtic can swoop for him before Koln even know what they have under their noses.

3. Patrick Wimmer (winger, Arminia Bielefeld)

Like the English Premier League with the Scottish Premiership, Bundesliga clubs often goes shopping in the Austrian Bundesliga for cheaper players that can do an excellent job in a higher league. In Patrick Wimmer, Arminia Bielefeld may have found a fantastic bargain.

Signed for just £630,000 in August, Wimmer has already bagged a goal in just 273 minutes of football for the relegation battlers and is showing plenty of signs that he’ll be capable of replicating the form he showed at Austria Vienna last season, when he averaged 0.45 goals or assists per 90 in the Austrian top flight.

Not only is Wimmer already third in the Bundesliga for shots per 90, but he’s also 10th in the division for dribbles per 90 and averages 0.73 key passes per 90 for Bielefeld. In other words he can either score or create goals from the wing and, at just 20 years of age, he’s bound to get better.

With just five points from their first eight games, the Blues are almost certainly going to get relegated at the end of the season. At that point, Wimmer will be pushing for a move to another club. Celtic could do much worse than to give this Austrian winger another opportunity to shine in a top league.