Switzerland scouted for Celtic transfer options: The Kosovo Messi and the winger with 'gifted feet'

Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Salah, Xherdan Shaqiri and many more talented footballers came through, especially from FC Basel.

However, clubs like BSC Young Boys have started producing gems as they begin to gain ground with fellow European competitors.

Arthur Cabral is the latest sensation to be talked about keenly but there are cheaper options who would be smart acquisitions for Celtic in the near future.

We will take a look at three potential gems highlighting why they are good options.

Edon Zhegrova - FC Basel

Nationality: Kosovo

Age: 22

Position: Right winger

Preferred foot: Left

Transfermarkt value: £​2m

Edon Zhergova of FC Basel would be a stunning signing for Ange Postecoglou if Celtic were to get him. The right-winger is dubbed as the “Kosovo Messi” and rightly so. We will take a look at why with some data first.

Zhegrova ranks highly in terms of non-penalty goal contributions and his work in the final third is highly commendable. As you can see in the data, the number of attempted key passes per 90 is in the right extremes and that is down to his vision. He is an excellent finder of movements inside the box.

The image above is a classic example of his technical ability on the ball as he whips one with the inside of his left foot. His actions on the ball with his left foot are very similar to that of Lionel Messi - hence the impressive nickname. Zhegrova normally plays on the right side of the three in a 4-2-3-1 for FC Basel. He loves receiving the ball out wide and then coming inside to shooting zones.

The 22-year old loves taking on players and is a very good dribbler. One of his key strengths is his close control as the ball sticks to his feet when he takes on players. In addition, he is a good crosser of the ball, most particularly into dangerous areas, attempting around 3.69 crosses per 90.

The picture above is an example of him completing a take-on, coming inside and then finding a runner to help his team take the lead. He takes a good amount of shots as well and in the game above, he scored a goal from outside the box as well. He's a game-changer.

He makes good runs, winning fouls in important areas of the pitch. Another positive side of his game is that he is a talented set-piece taker.

He presses high quite often but isn’t very capable of winning duels. There are a few things to improve his game that will take him into an elite level, with strength on the ball being one. He is quite easy to get shrugged off and he could work on using his body strength.

Another weak side of his game is him slowing down moves at times which has to do with his decision making. He prefers taking on players often but he slows down when he receives the ball instead of trying to pick out a better option. 

There is a lot of potential ready to be unlocked here and Ange Postecoglou, with a track record of success with talented players, could be the perfect manager to do it.

Kastriot Imeri - Servette

Nationality: Switzerland

Age: 21

Position: Attacking Midfielder/Left winger

Preferred foot: Right

Transfermrkt value: £3.6m

Kastriot Imeri of Servette is another cost-efficient option that Celtic could explore in the near future. He is still 21 having made his international debut only last month for Switzerland in the 1-1 draw against Italy.

Imeri has mainly played on the left side of attack in a 4-3-3 this season. He has also slotted into the right side of the midfield three for Servette when required, in a 4-3-3. We will first take a look at some of Imeri’s numbers in terms of chance creation and key passing.

He boasts better numbers in expected assists per 90, key passing and smart passing when compared with Celtic’s own Jota. Imeri is another player who loves drifting into the central spaces and getting into shooting areas. The Swiss has a good vision too, often trying to slide in a runner with shot-creating opportunities.

The image above is one example of his ability to scan early and release players. Despite his ability to find players in dangerous areas, he would need to work on his accuracy as he tends to give away the ball cheaply at times. Imeri also loves playing one-twos in tight spaces and uses his body to stand-off players when he is pressed.

Imeri’s output is quite impressive as he tends to score frequently. The 21-year old has 8 goals in 1002 minutes in the Swiss Super League this season, with 7 of them being non-penalties.

Imeri is someone who shows for the ball often rather than trying to find spaces. His pace is not electric but is quite good in quickly carrying the ball forward.

He does not attempt a lot of dribbles but loves to try take-on players and has a gifted feet. He is far from the finished product as he needs to polish certain parts of his game. His work off the ball is something that needs to be upped, especially if he would fit in well at Celtic. In addition, his crossing, especially high ones, needs work.

Fabian Rieder - BSC Young Boys

Nationality: Switzerland

Age: 19

Position: Centre midfielder

Preferred foot: Left

Height: 181 cm

Transfermarkt value: £2.25m

Young Boys have been dominant in the Swiss Super League, winning the title four years in a row. Fabian Rieder is a young and capable midfielder who has played over 900 minutes in all competitions this season. We will take a look at his passing numbers initially to see how he fares in that department.

The 19-year old Swiss midfielder is progressive with his passing as he looks to move the ball forward occasionally. In addition, he makes these adventurous runs into the box as he gets involved in the final phase of attack for his team.

His first instinct is to carry the ball before making a pass to someone. Although he is not a creative threat for the opposition, Rieder’s ability to carry and get the ball forward is a plus.

Young Boys manager David Wagner has used Rieder in different areas of the pitch ranging from the centre-left and wide-left midfield in a 4-4-2. Rieder has also played in centre midfield in a 4-3-3. However, he often drifts into the wide areas to connect with full-backs.

Although he uses his left foot often, he is more than capable of making things happen with his right foot as well. His goal against Manchester United in the Champions League was a thing of beauty.

In an element of his game that would impress Postecgolou, he charges in to press the opposition and gets very tight.

Rieder is also very active in terms of the defensive side of the game. He is a high volume dueller and hence prone to making fouls very often. He is strong in duels and makes use of his body to shrug off players. He pounces quickly, gets tight and tries to get in between the player and ball to win back possession at times. The youngster isn’t shy to go down and slide in to win the ball back either.

Rieder isn’t very technical with the ball and that might be an area to work on if he plans to play for any of the best teams in Europe’s Top 5 leagues. His passing range can also be worked upon, especially his long-range passing technique.

He panics when he gets pressed and is far from a press resistant midfielder. However, the midfielder is only 19 and is on the right side of his youthful career.

A step up in level would continue his progression and Celtic would get a long term central defensive anchor that could become a long term mainstay if Rieder was to arrive.