Luke McCowan – Pound for pound, perhaps Celtic best signing of the summer

The Celtic Star

·28 octobre 2024

Luke McCowan – Pound for pound, perhaps Celtic best signing of the summer

Luke McCowan has been a revelation for Celtic since arriving from Dundee in the summer, and the Hoops supporters have responded so warmly to him…

Photo Vagelis Georgariou for The Celtic Star

McCowan’s excellent reversed finish into Aston Oxborough’s bottom left hand corner yesterday afternoon kickstarted a fine performance and result for Brendan Rodgers’ side in North Lanarkshire.

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Indeed, it is the first time a Brendan Rodgers Celtic team has won at Fir Park without an injury-time winner!

That makes it now five goal involvements for McCowan since switching from Dundee to his boyhood club on transfer deadline day and every time he has featured for Celtic, his performance levels have been exceptional.

It is worth remembering that it was only in July he was playing at Glebe Park in Premier Sports Cup group stage matches. Fast forward three months, and the Greenock born midfielder made his Champions League debut in Bergamo at the Gewiss Stadium on Wednesday night against the current Europa League title holders. This is what dreams are made of.

Davide Zappacosta of Atalanta BC is pressured by Luke McCowan of Celtic FC during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Atalanta BC and Celtic FC at Stadio di Bergamo on October 23, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Sceptics may have underestimated McCowan’s technical skill but his dynamism and energy will be called upon this season. There is no doubt, Luke is morphing into an important player for Brendan Rodgers. Whether it be in the bread and butter domestic scene where McCowan is well-versed in delivering some big moments, or the Champions League in which the manager exemplified against Atalanta it is an environment he trusts the midfield playmaker to play in, the option of being able to utilise McCowan is an outstanding asset to have.

Seeing the McCowan story unfold should end some of the snobbish attitudes certain quarters have of the Hoops acquiring talented Scottish players in our top flight. Undoubtedly, £1 million for someone of McCowan’s quality looks like a real bargain. Of all managers, Brendan Rodgers has showed how impactful he can be when developing individual players. The ex-Dundee and Ayr United man will be no different, and there is no doubt under the stewardship of the current Celtic manager, McCowan will grow into an even better player.

Luke McCowan celebrates his goal with James Forrest and Alistair Johnston. Photo Vagelis Georgariou for The Celtic Star

Surely, his first international cap is just around the corner? Steve Clarke is crying out for a McCowan type, who can float behind the striker and pose as a real goal threat. There are not many current members of the Scotland National Team setup who are playing Champions League football. In the last squad for Nations League games versus Croatia and Portugal there were only two players who played for clubs in Europe’s elite club competition this season. They were Andy Robertson and Anthony Ralston. Should McCowan continue his flying form, to exempt him from a place in the upcoming November internationals would be a farce.

The only way is up, and the evolving midfielder merits to stay in the team for Wednesday’s clash against his former club Dundee at Paradise.

Luke McCowan opens the scoring for Celtic at Fir Park, Motherwell. Photo Vagelis Georgariou for The Celtic Star

With Callum McGregor likely to sit this one out with a view to the games against Aberdeen at Hampden on the semi-final on Saturday then RB Leipzig in the Champions League a week tomorrow, McCowan is highly likely to get his chance to start at Celtic Park against his former club.

This could be a sliding doors moment for McCowan whose start to life as a Celtic player has been a refreshingly brilliant watch. Long may it continue! Pound for pound, Luke McCowan is turning out to be Celtic best signing of the summer and a real bargain for just £1m.

Conor Spence