Alexandro Bernabei scouted: Why Celtic left-back transfer option is perfect Angeball fit

And the action looks far from over with the club hoping to make Jota the next permanent signing after a successful loan spell.

But it's not just familiar faces who are likely to be turning up at Lennoxtown in the weeks ahead with Ange Postecoglou’s side also linked with other players, most specifically Alexandro Bernabéi from Club Atlético Lanús.

The left-back spot is one which Celtic are looking to upgrade this summer and bringing in competition for Greg Taylor who fits Postecoglou’s style of play would be an obvious addition.

Bernabéi would be a great fit to this requirement and it is no wonder Celtic are aiming to secure their man.

Who is Alexandro Bernabéi?

Nationality: Argentina; Age: 21; Position: Left-back; Preferred foot: Left; TransferMarkt Value: £2.97m

The Argentine left-back is just 21 and is in the early development phase of his career. With his skillset, working under Ange Postecoglou could only elevate him to a higher level and potentially help Celtic make a good profit in the future.

We will now look at different areas of his game - in and out of possession, offence and defence.

In the above visualisation, the green diamonds are Celtic’s full-backs and the red is Bernabéi. Whilst the raw numbers don’t do him justice compared to his Celtic counterparts, it is important to remember the quality of the team he plays for. Although he is an attacking full-back, it is his movement and runs that create more threat than his final pass. A goal involvement of 0.24 per 90 is quite high and there is an even better chance of Celtic creating more of those types of opportunities for him because of the forward-thinking philosophy they employ way.

The 21-year-old is very quick and makes good sprints over the course of the game. His turn of pace paired with his dribbling ability can take opposition players out and acceleration is one of his key strengths. When he takes on players, he knocks the ball into space, using his pace to leave his man behind. In tight spaces, it is his quick footwork that helps him wiggle his way past players. Although he isn’t used to using his weak foot for passing and shooting too often, he can make use of it to beat a press.

The images above are an example of how he uses his footwork and speed to beat the opposition press and start counters in such situations. One of the key highlights in his game is that he pitches up in central areas often, even when he is not on the ball, trying to add an extra man in midfield - perfect for Angeball. See the image below where he starts by picking the ball up down the left flank before passing it back to his centre-back and then moving centrally to exploit that space.

While he does try to vacate space on the flanks and overloads the midfield, becoming an extra passing option, his actions on the ball resembles an inverted full-back. Bernabéi loves driving with the ball centrally and attract the opposition centre-backs thus opening up space for potential runners in behind defences.

Bernabéi loves working those half-spaces and the above images are an example of a trait he shows often. He receives the ball out wide, attracting the player before cutting past him inside, driving into the centre towards the goal. His ability on the ball helps him retain possession, keeping the ball close. This move attracts the opposition centre-backs thus creating a huge amount of space down the flanks. A run inside from his other full-back could have created a better opportunity for his team. However, he carries on into the box trying to be on the end of attacks.

The above image is another example of how he loves attacking the box and being on the end of the final move. The young Argentine is more likely to be a goalscoring full-back rather than a highly creative one. His inside runs and movement off the ball should help Celtic add a different kind of threat.

Bernabéi is a high-volume crosser with a good technique. He likes to whip balls in with curve and pace with the inside of his left foot. While he wants to get into those halfspaces, just outside the opposition penalty area before crossing, he does take on players and go wide when there isn’t space, allowing for crosses from wider angles to the goal. When he is stationary, he has the ability to clip the ball from the outside of his foot to find players. Despite the technical ability to deliver different types of crosses and passes, his hit rate needs improvement.

The above images are from a recent Copa Sudamericana game where he beats the press and grabs an assist at the end of the move with an excellent build-up. Bernabéi is a risk-taker on the ball even if he is in his own defensive third and he comes out retaining possession most of the time. He is the kind of player who fits a “high-risk, high-reward” style of football.

The final aspect of strength in his offensive game is his ability to hit the ball cleanly, with lots of power. He has scored a couple of thunderous goals from outside the box, using the momentum of his run to generate force, keeping the shot unreachable for the keeper because of the pace of the shot.

Although he is a great prospect in possession and offence, he has a lot of ironing out to do on the defensive side of his game. Since he likes to occupy high positions quite often, he does tend to cover a lot of ground when there is a turnover. His pace helps him recover quickly, but him picking central positions further forward means that he might need cover down the flank from a midfielder.

One of his strengths out of possession, and another area where he fits Celtic like a glove, is his ability to press high. The 21-year-old is a relentless presser in the attacking third and tries to create high turnovers by winning back possession in that area. However, he does end up giving away fouls when he is beaten by his man. His weaknesses in one-vs-one situations are another aspect that needs working on. Firstly, he has a habit of not getting too tight to his man and he tries to commit a touch late in a manner that makes it hard for him to adjust his body position and recover.

While the issues with dealing one-vs-one can be bettered with good coaching, a lack of awareness and ball-watching is another issue that he can exhibit. Although these are mostly one-offs, these situations have led to opportunities for the opposition. However, he is generally aware of players when defending in or near his defensive penalty area.

Bernabéi is a very potent young player and he would be a smart addition to this Celtic squad. If Postecoglou manages to make this deal happen sooner and give him a good pre-season, Parkhead could potentially see a new fan favourite by the end of next season in the form of this swashbuckling young full-back.