Celtic should be looking to strengthen their midfield in the winter transfer window. It is one of the departments which has lacked something for years but has never really been addressed.

There are now serious question marks over whether Callum McGregor is good enough to keep starting for Celtic, whether Benjamin Nygren brings the right balance to this midfield despite his extraordinary numbers and whether Mika Baur is good enough to replace Arne Engels or Reo Hatate.

Yet, the last thing Celtic fans would have expected is for the club to be linked with a 19-year-old midfielder heading into the winter transfer window. But that is exactly what has happened.

Abdoulaye Doumbia is not a destroyer by any means, But he does have the potential to be a complete midfielder in that area of the pitch.

He has already shown exceptional ability with both the ball at his feet and without the ball as well.

Compared to other midfielders in the Allsvenskan or Swedish league, he is top in terms of accurate long balls and in the 98th percentile for successful passes. He is also in the 96th percentile for line-breaking passes.

On the other side of the game, Doumbia is top of the Allsvenskan for interceptions and recoveries. He is in the 98th percentile for 98th percentile for defensive contributions, the 97th percentile for clearances and the 90th percentile for tackles.

Obviously, there are some weaknesses to his game as well that could be exposed playing for a club the size of Celtic.

Doumbia is not the most careful with the ball at his feet. He has been dispossessed 22 times, which puts him in the 11th percentile for all midfielders in the Swedish top flight. He has also committed 32 fouls, which puts him in the 12th percentile. Those are key weaknesses he will need to work on.

Of course, football is not just about numbers. A lot of the times, the eye test on a player can say more than just bare statistics.

When it comes to Doumbia, there is some stuff that the data does not really show. Firstly, he seems more comfortable with his dribbling than the numbers suggest and is not afraid to keep the ball at his feet even when multiple players surround him, and tries to find a way past them.

In terms of his passing, Doumbia is not the kind of midfielder who plays it safe. He likes a lofted pass over the defender or a through-ball to break the lines.

Technically, perhaps his style is not the most eye-pleasing. The passing can be a bit smoother and the weight on it a bit better at times. But it is important to remember that this is just a 19-year-old. The potential is clearly there.