Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is ramping up his transfer activity ahead of the window opening in January and is now reportedly keen to sign a talented youngster to bolster his ranks.

Scottish Premiership return and January window…

Starting as they mean to go on in the Scottish Premiership, Celtic hold an eight-point advantage at the summit over arch-rivals Rangers, having taken 35 points from their opening 13 fixtures.

The Hoops have already scored 34 goals in league action this term, with six coming in their last fixture against Aberdeen, which will have set Rodgers' men up nicely for their return to Scottish top-flight action this weekend, where they take on Motherwell on Saturday. Heading into January, Celtic will also be likely to tinker with their squad as Irish boss Rodgers looks to add depth in key areas at Parkhead.

Bringing in a striker will be a key priority as Kyogo Furuhashi and Oh Hyeon-gyu are in contention to be involved with their respective nations at the Asian Cup. Celtic have now reportedly made enquiries about the possibility of bringing Bologna striker Sydney van Hooijdonk to Glasgow's east end.

Outgoings will also be necessary to balance the load of what is a fairly bloated Celtic squad. The Scottish Sun report that Yuki Kobayashi is being courted by multiple J League clubs and could be allowed to leave the club on a loan basis in the January transfer window.

Kobayashi has fallen down the pecking order at Parkhead and is believed to be keen on a return to former club Vissel Kobe, with any potential departure unlikely to be blocked by Rodgers. Now, reports suggest that Celtic are eyeing a prodigious young talent to bolster their forward line ahead of the second portion of the campaign.

Celtic eye Luke Baartman

According to The Daily Record, Celtic are keen on Cape Town Spurs forward Luke Baartman and have sent representatives over to South Africa to watch the 17-year-old in action on several occasions, where they have clearly been left impressed.

Luke Baartman at Cape Town Spurs – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

4

Goals

1

Assists

0

Rated highly in his homeland, Baartman isn't viewed as an immediate first-team regular by Rodgers and company; however, his potential has been noted by the Scottish giants, who may need to fend off competition from Leeds United and other English sides for his signature.

The report also states that Celtic could look to utilise the South African market to bring in more new arrivals following their successful recruitment drives in Japan and South Korea.

Acquiring young players with the capacity to develop into sellable assets in the future has become a big part of Celtic's operational culture over the past few years; nevertheless, Baartman would be expected to join up with the Hoops' B team to continue his development, making him one for the future at Parkhead.

Moving closer to January, it will be intriguing to see if Celtic can get a deal over the line for the young forward, who could provide another option in the striking department over the coming years.