Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be in the market to find a replacement for current Parkhead number one Joe Hart at the end of the season.
The Hoops star has already confirmed that he will be retiring from professional football this summer, upon the expiry of his contract with the Scottish giants.
This means that the Glasgow-based outfit will need to find a new shot-stopper to take on the number one jersey ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Celtic have already been linked with an interest in Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who is valued at a minimum of £10m, and £12.8m-rated Trabzonspor star Ugurcan Cakir.
Celtic's interest in Bundesliga star
Alongside those two titans, Hoops chiefs are now reportedly keen on another goalkeeper, in the form of a shot-stopper from the Bundesliga this season.
According to German outlet Bild, the Hoops are eyeing up a deal to sign Werder Bremen colossus Michael Zetterer to bolster their goalkeeping ranks this summer.
The report claims that Celtic have taken a liking to the talented ace and believe that his qualities on the pitch would make him a good fit for Rodgers' side next season.
It states that Werder Bremen would like to extend his current contract with the German club but there is currently a dispute between the two sides.
Zetterer, who started the season as the second-choice between the sticks, is currently contracted as a substitute goalkeeper and the club are refusing to upgrade his status to first-choice number one as part of a new deal.
This has left the 28-year-old gem hesitant to put pen to paper on an extension, and he is now keeping close tabs on the transfer market ahead of a potential exit, with interest from Celtic now emerging.
Michael Zetterer's Bundesliga heroics
The Werder Bremen star has worked his way into the starting lineup this season and caught the eye with his heroic performance between the sticks in the Bundesliga.
In his 21 league appearances this term, Zetterer, who Sofascore claims does not have a weak foot and is comfortable playing out from the back on either side, has saved 72% of the shots on his goal and prevented 3.47 goals (xG) for his team to keep them in games.
This suggests that the 6 foot 2 giant has been an above-average shot-stopper in a major European league, as the German titan has conceded over three fewer than the xG of the shots on his goal suggested that he should have.
Appearances
21
31
Sofascore rating
7.33
6.83
Save success rate
72%
67%
Successful run-outs per game
0.5
0.3
Ground duel success rate
100%
40%
As you can see in the table above, the both-footed Werder Bremen cat has outperformed Hart in various metrics this season, with a higher percentage of shots saved, more sweeping actions per match, and far more success in one-on-one duels on the floor.
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This suggests that the 28-year-old, who is seven years younger than the former England international, could come in as an upgrade on the current Celtic number one, if he can translate those performances over to the Scottish Premiership.
