Celtic fans often debate who the best striker has been to pull on the green and white hoops since Henrik Larsson – and a Hoops cult hero reckons it could prove to be long-term target Mathias Kvistgaarden.
The Parkhead club have signed a number of top attackers over the years with the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Moussa Dembele, Leigh Griffiths and Kyogo Furuhashi all making a significant impact during the time in Glasgow.
With the summer transfer window fast approach and current boss Brendan Rodgers keen to bolster his options in the final third, Celtic have been linked with a number of frontmen in recent months.
Slovan Bratislava’s David Strelec and versatile Royal Antwerp wide man Michel-Ange Balikwisha are just two names to have been touted with a move to the Scottish champions, but former Celtic midfielder Thomas Gravesen reckons there is one standout player who has the potential to emulate the ‘King of Kings’.
Danish legend Gravesen was left disappointed when his fellow countryman Mathias Kvistgaarden didn’t follow in his footsteps by signing for Celtic in January after being strongly tipped to make a big-money switch.
Kvistgaarden is currently one of the hottest prospects in the Superliga and has been on Rodgers’ radar for almost two years and it’s expected that interest in the 22-year-old will be rekindled over the coming months.
Gravesen, now 49, was stunned Kvistgaarden’s parent club Brondby managed to hold on to the in-demand goalscorer for another window without selling their top marksman. He is adamant the ex-Denmark under-21 international could have a similar impact at Parkhead as Larsson did over two decades ago – but only if he agrees to stay in Scotland for the long-term.
Speaking to tiplsbladet, Gravesen said: “He is shining in his absence at Brøndby. They should be happy that he is there and enjoy the time he has left, because he has scored 10 goals, and none of them are from penalties.
“If he moves to Scotland, I am sure that he can reach Henrik Larsson’s level if he spends five to 10 years at Celtic. He is simply that good and strong.
“I actually thought that Kvistgaarden would be sold to Celtic, and it will be a fantastic place for him to start his adventure abroad. He will be able to play the way he plays, and he will be put on stage. I have no doubts that he will come abroad at some point because he is skilled enough for that”
