The Bedroom Soccer Scout

  Date of birth: 31 December 2001 Country: Netherlands Position: Central Defender Height: 195cm Preferred foot: Right Club: FC Volendam   Normally, a former wonder kid that has been at big clubs during their youth and now end up playing in lower leagues are a "what could have been" story. But with Xavier Mbuyamba the story is "What is his ceiling". A move to Volendam in 2022 raised some eyebrows as he had been a standout in the Chelsea U23 squad, with many tipping him to be the next player to move up into the first team squad. But this move certainly turned out to be great for his development, really showcasing his ability on the defensive end.  Only 1 year in with the club, he was named club captain.  So what kind of player is he? To put it simply: he is a defensive monster. In the era of defenders dropping deeper and putting their hands behind their back, Xavier is the complete opposite. Often stepping forward, he is very good at using his strength to win the ball...

  By Brendan Hunter   With the summer transfer window fast approaching, it is only natural to look at potential recruits that are both interesting and realistic. Here are 4 transfer targets Celtic should be looking at this summer if they realistically want to make a run in Europe this forthcoming season.   Target 1: Michael Olunga Position: Striker/Centre Forward The big Kenyan might be a familiar name to those who watch the J league, with him playing for Kashiwa Reysol. He even scored 8 goals in one J league match in 2020.  28 goals in 32 games led to him making a lucrative move to Qatar with Al Duhail. The goals kept coming, and in just 4 and a half seasons he racked up an impressive 130 goals in all competitions. The 31-year-old was recently released and is available for a free. While Celtic will almost certainly struggle to match the salary offered in Qatar, taking a punt on the 6ft 4 striker is a no-brainer. Blessed with height, strength and pace, Olunga is a pl...

  Date of birth: 29 Jan 2002 Country: Japan Position: Am/ RW Height: 170cm Preferred foot: Right Club: FC Tokyo (On loan from Kashima Antlers) Ryotaro Araki has been on my radar for many years now, having broken through at Kashima Antlers at 2020, having a breakthrough year in 2021, winning the J League rookie of the year. Just like many Japanese legends such as Shunsuke Nakamura, Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa, Araki is a technically brilliant attacking midfielder. In the 2021 season, Araki made 6 assists and notched up 10 goals as he won the award. However a few injuries including a herniated disc has set him back. However this season, Araki has reminded us all just how brilliant he is. In 10 J league appearances this season Araki has already got 6 goals at a very impressive goal conversion rate of 33%. Despite averaging less than a shot on target per game with 0.8, Araki's attacking skill set puts him in fantastic positions to convert his chances. His anticipation got him 2 goa...