Celtic's defence has come under fire since the knee injury to central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers ended his season at the start of May.
The Hoops have conceded nine goals in the five matches the USA international has missed so far after they only let in 29 goals in 33 Scottish Premiership games prior to that.
Ange Postecoglou's side shipped three against their Old Firm rivals and lost 4-2 to Hibernian in the last five outings in the top-flight and the head coach could be in the market to add another centre-back to his squad this summer.
One defender who has been linked with a move to Parkhead is FC Volendam ace Xavier Mbuyamba. Sky Sports reported that Celtic and Watford are both eyeing up the talented youngster, who has been compared to Virgil van Dijk.
Who is Xavier Mbuyamba?
The 21-year-old centre-back has enjoyed a strong season in the Eredivisie, having left Premier League side Chelsea last year, and could now form an excellent partnership with Carter-Vickers at the back for the Hoops.
Once described as "dominant" by scout Jacek Kulig, he could emerge as an ideal central defensive partner as that word was used by ex-Hoops midfielder Kris Commons to sum up the American's impact in Scotland.
Mbuyamba won 73% of his aerial battles in the EFL Trophy for Chelsea's U21s last season and has won 53% of his battles in the Eredivisie this term.
Carter-Vickers, meanwhile, won 69% of his contests in the Premiership, including 74% of his duels in the air, and has proven himself to be an imposing figure at the back for Celtic since his move from Tottenham Hotspur on a permanent basis last summer.
These statistics suggest that they could be a dominant duo for Postecoglou in the 2023/24 campaign as they are both capable of winning the majority of their physical battles and stopping opposition players from getting the better of them on a regular basis.
The Volendam star, who Kulig also hailed as "elegant", has also showcased his raw defensive instincts with 3.5 tackles and interceptions and 5.4 clearances per game in the Dutch top-flight, whereas Carter-Vickers made 1.6 and 2.9 per match respectively for the Hoops in the Premiership.
The significant difference in defensive actions could be down to Mbuyamba's side being 14th in the division, instead of competing for the title, as his side has to defend more in matches, but it does show that the ace is capable of making regular interventions at the back.
Carter-Vickers and the 21-year-old titan could, therefore, be an excellent pairing at the back for Celtic due to their dominance and defensive strength and Postecoglou must work hard to beat Watford to the ex-Chelsea man's signature.