Nicolas Kuhn didn’t deliver his best performance of the season for Celtic during yesterday’s match against Rangers at Ibrox. The Hoops, however, remain keen to secure him on a new contract.
The German winger was among the underperformers as Celtic, the runaway league leaders, suffered a surprising 3-0 defeat to their rivals. Yet, Kuhn’s overall contributions this season deserve recognition. He has stepped up impressively to fill Matt O’Riley’s shoes, tallying 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions.
Kuhn’s improvement hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Julian Nagelsmann reportedly interested in involving him in the German international setup—a clear testament to his progress and dedication.
67 Hail Hail reports that Kuhn’s agent, Fabian Dingler, attended the match at Ibrox, potentially signaling positive news for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers, along with Michael Nicholson, is likely to initiate discussions with Dingler, who represents CN Sports GmbH, headed by ex-Rangers player Christian Nerlinger.
Dingler’s presence could be coincidental, as he has attended other Celtic matches this season, including their 3-1 Champions League win over RB Leipzig in November, where Kuhn scored twice.
Regardless, Celtic are hopeful of securing the player on improved financial terms to deter interest from other European clubs.
Although Kuhn is already contracted until 2029, his performances have attracted transfer interest from various clubs.
Often described as the best player in Scotland this season, he remains a key asset for Celtic. Nerlinger has previously confirmed that despite interest in January, Kuhn has no plans to leave, reinforcing the club’s confidence in retaining him.
Big mouth pundit has embarrassing take on Arne Engels after coin strikes Celtic star in Rangers clash
Despite Rangers’ 3-0 victory at Ibrox, the celebration was marred by a disgraceful incident.
As the match neared its conclusion in front of a full house, a shameful act near the corner flag overshadowed the hosts’ triumph. Arne Engels was struck just above the eye by a coin thrown from the stands, highlighting an unacceptable moment of misconduct from a spectator.
Referee Don Robertson was made aware of the incident, and it will likely be included in the officials’ match report. This should lead to severe repercussions for Rangers and, ideally, a lifetime ban for the perpetrator. Engels went to the ground after the incident, prompting players from both teams to gather around in an effort to determine what had occurred. Despite the visible mark on his face, dangerously close to his eye, Engels showed resilience and continued to play.
However, the incident drew an embarrassing response from pundit Troy Deeney. The former footballer downplayed the seriousness of the act, claiming that he would never have gone down in such a situation during a derby. He went further, suggesting that enduring such incidents is simply “part of playing in a rivalry,” accusing Engels of displaying “weakness.”
Deeney’s remarks included recounting how he had been targeted in games but carried on, a perspective that does little to excuse or diminish the gravity of the act. His comments were met with criticism for failing to address the unacceptable behavior that has no place in football.
“Do you want me as a person, or me as a player? Because they’re two different thoughts,” Deeney said on talkSPORT.
“It was bang out of order, you shouldn’t have to deal with people launching coins at you or whatever. From a player’s point of view, if I was a fan, I’d be fuming that he went down.
“You can’t get anyone sent off. It hits you, it’s a little bit of a sharp pain, just stand up and don’t give them any sign of weakness. Shock doesn’t make you fall over. You go, ‘Oh, what was that?’ You take a step back and liven up.
“When he went down, I just thought, ‘You’re 3-0 down in the lion’s den and you’re rolling around. Get up, don’t show any weakness.’ That’s just me as a person.
“I had it at Villa Park. I had about £40 in 2ps launched at me. You laugh it off. It’s a coin.
“Did it split his head? No, it was a little red mark that I guarantee you was gone this morning. It’s just part of playing in a rivalry, it’s part of what comes with it. It’s not great but it’s just part of it.
“One person has launched a coin. If they had another £50 of pound coins to throw at him, it wouldn’t have hit him again. It’s one of those things.
“It’s unfortunate and it happened. But me as a person, and as a player? No chance would I have gone down.”
