Celtic linked Ahmed Kendouci scouted: Talented risk-taker but does he actually fit the bill?

Despite two of those being midfielders, the Hoops still find themselves linked with several central players after a move for Australia international Riley McGree fell through.

With reports in Algeria suggesting ES Setif midfielder Ahmed Kendouci is on the Parkhead club's radar, we decided to take a closer look at him in case any move comes to fruition in the future.

First, some basic information...

Kendouci is a 22-year-old, Algerian central midfielder. He is left-footed and currently plays for ES Sétif in Algerian Ligue 1.

He had an impressive season in 2020-21 with eight goals and seven assists to his name in all competitions. His performances helped his team to a second place finish in the league with 71 points from 38 games.

Talking about positions, Kendouci is a left-sided central midfielder who loves drifting into the wide left channels often (as shown in his heatmap below).

A versatile and technical player, the 22-year-old has also played on the left flank and further up the pitch as an attacking midfielder while is capable of slotting into a more defensive role too despite that not being his best position.

Kendouci’s game would be even better suited to a system where he sees the ball more often than having to chase it.

We will now take a look at his data with respect to his passing ability and styles by comparing him with Celtic midfielders in Callum McGregor, Nir Bitton and Tom Rogić (shown in green diamonds) and the rest of his midfield competition in the SPFL Premiership (players with minimum 900 mins in the last calendar year).

The data very clearly shows Kendouci’s forward-thinking capabilities, especially in the final third. He loves to attempt risky passes, long or short, and regularly attempts through balls. He has the ability to pick out good runners with perfectly-weighted passes and would thus be an asset in possession higher up the pitch.

The examples above show his ability to pick out runners and execute difficult passes. His passing in the attacking third of the pitch is very much a high-risk, high-reward approach.

READ MORE: The statistical story of Celtic's season so far

While his progressive passing numbers are positive, he really excels in progressively carrying the ball into the final third of the pitch. His ability to keep it glued to his feet coupled with good dribbling ability helps him get past players with ease. He is a risk-taker and is a willing carrier even when he is pressed and closed down by multiple players.

One can expect him to drive forward with the ball if there is open space in front of him - the biggest positive from his carries is his ability to constantly look for passing options so that his team ends up creating an opportunity. He loves getting involved in the final phase of his team’s attacks and finds himself making forward runs off the ball.

The above picture sums up his ability with the ball perfectly. Kendouci also looks to attract opposition players towards him in the attacking third and then attempts to dribble past them or create space for the attackers. However, despite his ability on the ball, he is very much one-footed and that is a weakness as he always looks to receive it on his strong side.

The Algerian midfielder is not the best when it comes to the defensive side of the game. The data shows he is rarely involved in making defensive actions and he tends to concede regular fouls, often when he loses possession of the ball. That said, he is someone who doesn't shy away from a 50-50 challenge and possesses tenacity when trying to go for such challenges.

Another glaring weakness in his game is his tactical and positional discipline. He is an excited, forward-thinking player but that can often lead to him getting caught chasing the ball during turnovers.

Kendouci is also someone who falls into a tendency to ball-watch. Adding to that, he doesn’t scan well and that hinders him somewhat from operating at a faster pace and making quicker decisions. Even though his carrying is a huge positive, his ability to be aware of the situation around him quickly might be a potential block in his growth.

Kendouci will only be turning 23 this summer however it feels like a move to Celtic might be too big a step-up for him at the moment.

Despite Postecoglou's ability to get the best out of players, Kendouci would need to polish his game more if he is to adapt to Celtic and the pace of the SPFL.