Celtic may already have their new Van Dijk – and he’s not even a defender

Every so often, Celtic make a signing that immediately feels different.

Virgil van Dijk was the perfect example. When the Dutchman arrived at Parkhead from Groningen, it did not take long for it to become apparent that Celtic had recruited a player operating at a different level.

Neil Lennon later admitted that he told Van Dijk to enjoy his time in Glasgow because he expected the centre-back would not remain at Celtic for long. That prediction proved correct, with Southampton eventually taking him to the Premier League before Liverpool completed his transformation into one of the world’s leading defenders.

Van Dijk remains the benchmark for Celtic’s modern player sales. The Hoops have generated substantial fees from numerous departures, but few have gone on to reach the heights achieved by the Dutchman.

Van Dijk remains Celtic’s standout success story

Celtic have developed an impressive record of producing or improving players before selling them for significant sums.

Matt O’Riley left for Brighton in a deal worth around £25m, while Jota also commanded a fee of approximately £25m when he moved to Al-Ittihad. Kieran Tierney joined Arsenal for around £25m, while Arne Engels has recently moved to West Ham for a reported £22m.

Moussa Dembele, Nicolas Kuhn, Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Victor Wanyama are among the other players who generated substantial transfer income.

Yet the subsequent careers of those players have been mixed.

O’Riley has struggled to establish himself as a regular at Brighton, while Kuhn has already moved on from Como. Jota’s time in Saudi Arabia and France failed to develop as expected before he returned to Glasgow.

Ajer and Wanyama enjoyed respectable careers in England, but neither reached the extraordinary level Van Dijk has maintained.

The former Celtic defender has collected Premier League and Champions League honours with Liverpool and established himself as one of the defining centre-backs of his generation.

That makes Van Dijk an extremely difficult act to follow.

However, Celtic supporters may already have another player who can develop into a similarly transformative signing – even though he operates at the opposite end of the pitch.

Camilo Duran could be Celtic’s next superstar

Celtic’s recruitment during the latest transfer window has provided plenty of encouragement.

The club brought in several players capable of improving Martin O’Neill’s squad, including Shim Mheuka, Haissem Hassan, Mika Baur and Kasper Hogh.

But Camilo Duran has arguably made the most explosive start of them all.

The Colombian arrived from Qarabag following a season in which he made his mark in the Champions League, and his early performances in Glasgow have suggested Celtic may have uncovered another outstanding attacking talent.

Duran has looked dangerous from wide areas but has also demonstrated that he can operate centrally. His versatility has already made him a particularly valuable option for O’Neill.

The 24-year-old has also brought an impressive level of intensity to Celtic’s attack. His movement and willingness to work without the ball fit the demands of the system, while his technical quality gives him the ability to decide matches.

His standout performance came during the Champions League play-off first leg against LASK, when he scored twice to put Celtic in an excellent position.

He has continued to contribute from different positions, showing that his threat is not limited to playing on the right.

Duran’s numbers have also caught the eye. He has already contributed nine goals and assists across his opening eight competitive appearances for Celtic, underlining just how quickly he has adapted to Scottish football.

O’Neill has already labelled him a “really class player”, and a senior Colombia call-up has further underlined the progress he has made.

Celtic fans should enjoy Duran while they can

It is obviously far too early to start discussing when Duran could leave Celtic.

The club will be hoping his development continues and that he remains at Parkhead for several seasons before any major European side comes calling.

However, Celtic know better than most that exceptional players rarely remain in Glasgow indefinitely.

Van Dijk’s Celtic career ultimately lasted only a few years before Southampton came calling. From there, his rise continued all the way to Liverpool and the top of the European game.

Duran still has an enormous amount to prove before comparisons with Van Dijk can be taken seriously.

But in terms of the immediate impact of a new signing and the possibility of having recruited a player capable of moving to a much higher level, Celtic may already have something special on their hands.

The fact that Duran is an attacker rather than a defender makes the comparison even more intriguing.

For now, Celtic supporters should simply enjoy watching him develop at Parkhead. If his first few months are anything to go by, Duran could eventually become one of the club’s most valuable modern-era signings.