It is fair to say that the opening game of the 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season did not go exactly how reigning champions Celtic wanted it to.
The Hoops had to battle hard to break the deadlock against a stubborn St Mirren side that sat in and defended well in a low block for the majority of the game.
However, substitute Luke McCowan was able to finally break through by firing in a shot from the edge of the box that deflected into the bottom corner in the 87th minute.
They were a fortunate deflection away from dropping two points on the opening day of the season, though, which Brendan Rodgers will not have been pleased with.
The summer transfer window is still open for a few more weeks and there could be further incoming business for the Hoops, who appear to need attacking reinforcements.
One player whose future in the starting XI remains uncertain, due to potential transfer activity, is Adam Idah, after his dismal showing against St Mirren.
Why Adam Idah's starting spot is in danger
The slow nature of Celtic’s recruitment work this summer has provided the Ireland international with a big opportunity to show the manager that he has what it takes to be the main number nine this season.
Unfortunately, though, he failed to step up against St Mirren on Sunday, as the former Norwich City attacker put in an incredibly wasteful showing, as you can see in the graphic below.
It is fair to say that the Irish number nine has not done enough to prove that he has the clinical finishing to be a reliable goalscorer for the Hoops this season, as further evidenced by his 19 ‘big chances’ missed in 19 Premiership starts last season.
This is why Idah’s starting spot in the team is in danger because he needs to show that he can be ruthless with the chances that come his way in games.
xA
2.60
Top 11%
Chances created
19
Top 25%
Pass accuracy
76%
Top 19%
Assists
0
Bottom 3%
Touches in the opposition’s box
144
Top 9%
Possession won in the final third
14
Top 15%
However, as you can see in the table above, the Ireland international also has a lot of creative qualities that sometimes go under the radar because of his finishing struggles and a few touches that go awry.
Idah is not perfect, that is obvious, but he is also not useless for Rodgers. His creative statistics from the 2024/25 league season suggest that the Hoops need to surround him with clinical finishers who can make the most of the chances that he creates.
The former Canaries star still needs to improve his finishing and show that he can be relied upon by Rodgers in front of goal, but the manager can do his bit to help the forward unlock his true potential by bringing in goalscoring midfielders around him.
This is why the Northern Irish boss should be pushing the board to get a deal done for Go Ahead Eagles star Jakob Breum before the end of the summer transfer window.
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Celtic have had multiple offers turned down for the Danish midfielder, who is valued at £5m by the Eredivisie side, and they should stump up the cash required to bring him to Parkhead to unlock Idah’s creative potential.
Why Celtic should sign Jakob Breum
One of the many reasons why the Hoops should pay up to bring Breum to Glasgow before September’s transfer deadline is that he is a versatile star who could be used in a host of different positions by Rodgers.
The Denmark U21 international has started 11 matches or more as a central midfielder, a right winger, an attacking midfielder, and as a left winger in his club career to date, which means that he can play across the frontline behind Idah or another striker.
At the age of 21, Breum would also come in as a young player with the potential to grow and develop throughout his time in Glasgow. This means that he would be a signing for the here and now as well as for the future, given his scope to improve further.
His performances for Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie during the 2024/25 season also suggest that he has the quality to come in as an ideal signing for Idah.
Breum, who was nominated for the young player of the season award in the Netherlands, is a ruthless finisher who has the potential to make the most of the Irish forward’s creativity.
xG
6.27
Top 8%
xG on target
8.35
Top 5%
Shots on target
22
Top 7%
Goals
10
Top 5%
xA
5.60
Top 8%
Assists
5
Top 17%
Chances created
44
Top 7%
As you can see in the table above, the Danish forward ranked incredibly highly in a host of goalscoring metrics in the Dutch top-flight, as he outperformed his xG with both the quality of his shots and his goal tally.
These statistics suggest that the 21-year-old star, who was described as an “exciting” talent by Sport Republic video scout RDF Tactics, would be the perfect attacking midfielder to unlock Idah’s potential as a creator.
As aforementioned, the Irish striker was one of the most creative forwards in the Premiership last season, but was not rewarded with the assists that he deserved. Breum is a player who could finish off the chances that Idah creates, based on his form last term.
Along with being able to provide quality as a finisher, the £5m-rated star also ranked highly for his own creative output, and could create high-quality opportunities for Idah, to help him overcome his finishing woes.
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Overall, Celtic should be pushing to sign the Go Ahead Eagles star because he has the potential to be an attacking signing that could complement Idah’s style of play, potentially helping the Irishman to keep his place in the XI.