Saturday was a special day for Celtic for multiple reasons after they clinched the Scottish Premiership title with a 5-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice Park.
The Hoops ran out comfortable winners on the day, thanks to two goals apiece from Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah and an own goal from Ryan Strain, to secure their fourth title in as many seasons.
It was the club’s 55th top-flight league title and that means that they are now level with their city rivals on 55 league titles, with a chance to overtake them next season.
Brendan Rodgers has now won four league titles in four full seasons at Parkhead, split across two spells, and will be looking to make history with that 56th title in the 2025/26 campaign.
One player who has already made history in a Celtic shirt, however, is James Forrest after he claimed the 26th trophy of his career at the club on Saturday, making him the most-decorated player in the club’s history.
The one-club man has been in the first-team for 26 trophies won, an incredible accomplishment, but he may not be as involved next season, as his powers on the pitch are waning.
Why James Forrest may not play as much next season
The 33-year-old star is heading towards the latter stage of his career and could find himself on the fringes of the squad next term if the Hoops look to make additions in the summer transfer window.
Forrest’s contract at Parkhead does not expire until the summer of 2026, which means that he is unlikely to move on ahead of next season, but he could spend the final year of that deal on the periphery of the group.
The Hoops academy graduate is currently on course to end the season without a single goal to show for his efforts at the top end of the pitch, having managed at least one goal in all 15 of his previous campaigns in the first-team.
There are, of course, a few more matches left to be played for the Hoops, including the final of the SFA Cup against Aberdeen at Hampden Park, but Forrest has played 25 games in the Premiership and the Champions League to date without finding the back of the net.
Appearances
19
4
Goals
0
0
Shots
28
2
Big chances missed
3
0
Big chances created
3
1
Assists
4
1
As you can see in the table above, Forrest has had 30 shots and missed three ‘big chances’ without scoring a goal in those two competitions, whilst he has only created four ‘big chances’ for the team in that time as well.
At the age of 33, it is not a surprise to see the winger’s influence on the pitch diminish. However, if Celtic want to push on and achieve more success in Europe, they should look to bring in another forward who has the potential to offer more, particularly in Europe.
Celtic's January interest in Norwegian winger
The Daily Record recently reported that the Hoops tried to sign Sarpsborg winger Sondre Orjasaeter to bolster their wide options in the January transfer window.
It also claimed that the attacker, who carried his passport around in case a move to Parkhead did materialise, is valued at £7m by his current club, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops would be willing to pay that much for him.
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During the January transfer window, Football Insider revealed that Rodgers wanted more quality options to call upon in the wide areas and that the club were due to ‘accelerate’ a swoop for the Norwegian starlet.
Journalist Mark Hendry later reported that the Scottish giants had an opening bid rejected by Sarpsborg for the young forward, and the Hoops ended the window without a deal for the 21-year-old talent.
After the club failed to sign the winger in January, Rodgers should push for the Hoops to bring Orjasaeter, once dubbed an “artist” by Havard Flo, to Glasgow in the summer window because he could be an upgrade on Forrest on the flanks.
Why Celtic should sign Sondre Orjasaeter
As aforementioned, the 33-year-old Celtic veteran’s powers are waning, and he should not be relied upon as much as he has been this season, particularly with his four appearances in Europe.
The Hoops will need more quality in the final third if they want to progress in the Champions League and compete in the latter stage of the competition, which is why they should target Orjasaeter and other additions to bolster their squad.
Whilst the Norwegian star is not a proven Champions League performer who would be guaranteed to make a big impact for the Bhoys on the European stage, the 21-year-old talent’s performances for Sarpsborg suggest that the potential is there for him to offer more than Forrest.
Orjasaeter has been in impressive form for his club at league level since the start of the 2024 campaign, showcasing his qualities as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Appearances
28
4
Goals
5
0
Big chances missed
5
1
Big chances created
12
4
Key passes per game
1.9
1.8
Assists
5
1
Dribbles completed per game
2.4
2.3
As you can see in the table above, his teammates have let him down at times by only scoring six goals from the 16 ‘big chances’ that he has created on the wing.
These statistics suggest that he has the quality to offer more than Forrest in the final third, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, if he can translate that form over to Scottish football.
At the age of 21, Orjasaeter is also 12 years younger than the Scottish ace and could be a long-term addition for Celtic, with the potential to develop and improve throughout his time at Parkhead.
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This is why the Hoops should push to get a deal done for the young ace this summer, because they could improve their team and allow Forrest to become less of a frontline option, seeing out his career and contract without being relied upon in the Premiership or the Champions League.