Kasper Hogh has stayed on Celtic's transfer radar going into the summer window. Using Wyscout and StatsBomb data, analyst Stewart Ross assesses whether he has the qualities and profiles required to strengthen Martin O'Neill's squad.
Now that Celtic have a managerial and coaching staff firmly in place, attention is quickly shifting towards one of the most important transfer windows in the club’s recent history.
While last season ultimately ended in success, it was also one defined by uncertainty, inconsistent recruitment and an increasingly fragile grip on domestic dominance. With several senior players expected to depart, multiple key positions require strengthening as the club faces up to a significant rebuild.
Recruitment planning has continued in the background for months. O’Neill, Shaun Maloney and the club’s recruitment department are all understood to have contributed to a growing list of targets aimed at refreshing a squad that appeared to be running on fumes at various points last season.
One name who has remained under consideration is Kasper Hogh. Celtic explored a move for the striker during the January transfer window and his performances since have only strengthened the belief that he could offer a solution to one of the squad’s most pressing needs.
Hogh has continued his prolific goalscoring form for Bodo/Glimt, combining domestic consistency with eye-catching displays on the European stage.
Here, we take a data-led look at what he could offer, examining his strengths and assessing whether Hogh possesses the attributes required to make an immediate impact in a new-look Celtic side next season.
While Celtic's midfield will almost certainly require refreshing this summer, the club's need for attacking reinforcements is just as pressing.
Daizen Maeda's prolific end to last season was a major factor in driving Celtic to a league and Scottish Cup double, but there remains uncertainty surrounding the future of the Japanese international after he came close to leaving the club 12 months ago amid serious interest from Wolfsburg.
January loan arrivals Thomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu failed to convince they represented long-term solutions at centre-forward, while it remains unclear whether Celtic will activate the option to extend Kelechi Iheanacho's stay beyond the initial year of his deal.
All that helps explain why Kasper Hogh remains a player of interest to Celtic. The Danish striker was heavily linked with a move to Parkhead in January before Bodo/Glimt's impressive European campaign further elevated both his profile and, potentially, his transfer value. Yet despite that increased attention, Hogh appears to have remained firmly on Celtic's radar.
The 25-year-old enhanced his growing reputation during Bodo/Glimt's run to the Champions League knockout stages, scoring five goals and providing three assists, including strikes against Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan. He has carried that form into the 2026 Eliteserien campaign, registering seven goals and seven assists in his opening 10 league appearances.
The charts below, built using Wyscout per-90 data converted into percentile ranks and generated through Ben Griffis' Best 11 Scouting App, provide further insight into his profile.
Hogh's goalscoring prowess is immediately apparent in the data. His six non-penalty league goals equate to 0.65 non-penalty goals per 90, backed up by a substantial 0.81 non-penalty xG per 90. While Bodo/Glimt's domestic dominance undoubtedly helps, both figures rank among the best in the Eliteserien this season.
The underlying numbers are equally impressive. His 0.24 non-penalty xG per shot, 3.44 shots per 90 and 6.45 touches in the opposition box per 90 all place him comfortably in the top percentiles among strikers in the division. Hogh clearly gets into dangerous areas regularly and consistently finds high-quality scoring opportunities.
Although his dribble success rate of 71.4 per cent is above average, his progressive carries and ball-carrying volume rank in the lower third of the dataset. That suggests a striker who may be capable of beating an opponent when required, but one who is not likely to consistently carry the ball over longer distances.
Many of his possession metrics sit around average or below average. His short and medium pass completion rate (78.4 per cent), progressive passing numbers and secondary chance creation statistics point towards a forward who tends to remain high up the pitch rather than dropping deep to influence build-up play.
However, Hogh does offer some creative value. His 0.17 expected assists (xA) per 90 and 0.18 xA per shot assist both rank above average, while a 45.2 per cent aerial duel success rate suggests his creativity may come through flick-ons, knockdowns and link-up play in and around the penalty area.
One area where the numbers are less impressive is his defensive contribution. Whether a reflection of his role within Bodo/Glimt's system or his individual profile, Hogh records relatively modest figures for possession-adjusted tackles and interceptions (1.19 per 90) and defensive actions (2.04 per 90).
However, like Breum, Hogh's European data suggests he offers more off-the-ball value than his domestic numbers initially indicate.
According to Hudl StatsBomb data, his 3.81 pressure regains per 90 across 10.5 Champions League 90s ranked in the 86th percentile among strikers in the competition.
There are also encouraging signs regarding his ability to act as a focal point against higher-level opposition. His 3.23 aerial wins per 90 ranked in the 73rd percentile, while he averaged just 2.19 turnovers per 90, placing him in the 91st percentile. In other words, he generally protected possession well when his team managed to find him.
Understandably, Hogh's shot volume and penalty-box touches declined against Champions League opposition. Yet he still generated 0.37 xG per 90, while his average chance quality remained strong at 0.16 xG per shot, ranking in the 80th percentile. Even against elite opponents, he continued to find his way into dangerous goalscoring positions.
His limited ball-carrying contribution was just as evident on the European stage, with Hogh seemingly failing to complete a single successful dribble across his Champions League minutes. Rather than a striker who creates opportunities for himself through individual actions, the data paints a picture of a penalty-box specialist whose strengths likely lie in movement, positioning and finishing.
The data suggests there are clear reasons why Celtic have retained an interest in Hogh. His goalscoring record, movement and penalty-box instincts point to a striker with plenty of the attributes required to become a successful Celtic number nine.
But he is not without some question marks. Hogh is more of a penalty-box specialist than an all-round centre-forward and would require a strong supporting cast behind him to maximise his strengths.
However, he doubtless possesses qualities that are currently in short supply within the squad. Celtic's recruitment needs more than just a striker this summer, but if the club is serious about raising the level of the starting XI rather than simply adding numbers again, Hogh looks like the type of addition capable of improving the team immediately.
