I'm certain Celtic will sign a box office No.9 and here's why Giuseppe Ambrosino doesn't quite fit that bill

Daily Record

5 days ago

Our man Keith Jackson is certain the Hoops are after a senior No.9 this summer and doubts Ambrosino is that striker
Giuseppe Ambrosino looks an interesting proposition for Celtic – but if Brendan Rodgers gets his way, the Hoops are likely to pursue a more senior striking option with a similar influence to Kyogo.
That's the view of Keith Jackson on tonight's Hotline Live who thinks another young, up and coming striker doesn't quite fit what they're looking for in the remainder of the window.
‌
The Napoli frontman, who spent last season on loan at Frosinone in Serie B, has emerged as a target for Celtic as they look to beef out their options in the No.9 slot.
‌
They've yet to fully replace Kyogo with Callum Osmand, a new arrival from Fulham, not expected to become an instant senior starter.
Ambrosino looks further along in his development than Osmand, having established himself for Italy's U21 side and racked up senior minutes for four different clubs already.
Hotline Live on YouTube – 07/07/2025
Article continues below
But our man Jackson believes it's a 'certainty' that the Hoops will sign an even more established No.9 – even if it has to wait until later in the window.
He said on tonight's live show: "He's an Italian U21 international. You might look at that and think 'what's the difference between that and Callum Osmand?'
"Except there's a bit of excitement about this guy over in Italy, otherwise he wouldn't be leading the line for the U21s.
‌
"Napoli of course Scudetto winners, so it's hard to break into that team.
"I think there has been possible discussions about some sort of loan deal, and Celtic might negotiate an option to buy if that's the road they want to go down.
"Interesting, and I'm sure he's a good player, but it doesn't quite fit in with what I'd expect from Celtic. They've got Callum Osmand from Fulham, a young boy with big potential, but I really expect that Brendan Rodgers is going to push the boat out for an experienced, proven option at No.9.
"Someone that fills the same sort of importance in the squad that Kyogo had, albeit he did take a dip before he left for Rennes. I'm fairly certain we'll see Celtic make a move for someone of that stature.
"The potential problem with that is that these things often go right towards the end of the window. So that might take a while."