Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers went about strengthening his squad upon arriving the Parkhead dugout last term, and while the local treble that ensued proved he was successful, issues at right-back continue to hinder the squad’s defensive depth.
Cristian Gamboa was brought in from West Brom, but Marseille right-back Hiroki Sakai seems to have been Rodger’s first-choice and the contrasting performances and forms of the 2 over the last one year prove why.
While the Costa Rica international has only started 13 Scottish Premiership games till date, with none coming this term, the Japanese full-back has 40 Ligue 1 games under his belt since leaving Hannover 96.
Sakai, 27, has revealed why he left the Bundesliga for the French side, telling France Football (September edition, page 10) that Japanese national team manager Vahid Halilhodzic convinced him to ditch Celtic’s offer for Marseille. “I had three offers (Celtic, Ajax and Marseille), claimed the right-back.
“Halilhodzic told me Marseille was a good club but it was hard to stand out there. Since that’s what I wanted, I chose to come here. I think he’s happy that I’m in France.”
Mikael Lustig, 30, continues to feature heavily in Rodgers’ plans, playing every minute of all 5 league games thus far this term.
While the Swedish defender isn’t a weak link at the back for Celtic, it can’t be denied that the manager secretly nurses what-would-have-been thoughts as regards having Sakai in his starting XI instead.
The right-back remains a position the club continue to look into, and a new signing could be brought in next summer in order to add more strength and quality cover.
