Celtic transfer options scouted: Impeccable interceptor, press-resistant passer and more from Spain's second tier

Spain's Segunda Division could prove to be a viable niche market for Celtic as Ange Postecoglou looks to further strengthen the squad come summertime.

There are a few players who boast good numbers and, crucially, are undervalued.

Here, we take a look at three players who could potentially emerge as transfer options for Postecoglou in the near future...

Samu Costa (Almeria)

Nationality: Portuguese; Age: 20; Position: Defensive midfielder; Preferred foot: Left; Height: 6ft; TransferMarkt Value: £4.5million

Celtic could use a defensive midfielder who is not only good on the ball but can also break up play.

Portuguese midfielder Samu Costa is having a good season with Almeria, who are closing in on promotion to La Liga for next season.

Almeria mainly set up in a 4-2-3-1 with Costa playing on the left of the double pivot. The above image is his heatmap and clearly shows the areas where he is mostly involved.

Costa is good at progressing the ball, as you can see from the visualisation above. He prefers to pass the ball and move it forward while he tends to sit in front of the centre-backs and actively participate in the build-up from the defence to attack.

The Portuguese isn’t very adventurous, however, and that is reflected in his numbers as he doesn’t attempt a lot of defence-breaking passes. Instead, the 20-year-old mainly focuses on recycling possession and keeping hold of the ball well, which he does well. He is more of a safe passer but he still has good range in his locker.

When in possession, Costa tends to make decisions faster and gets out of pressure situations well. He can often hold off a presser with his strength and find a way to release the ball without losing possession.

His intelligence is a plus point while one of his weaknesses is that he is too reliant on his strong left foot. His weak-foot ability isn’t quite there yet and is something that can be worked on.

From the numbers, you can spot Costa's almost impeccable interception ability.

His ability to read the game well when out of possession helps him recover the ball and snatch passes in high-threat areas of the pitch. He is very good at sticking his leg out and winning the ball back or at least averting danger.

In terms of his duelling ability, he is arguably yet to fill out fully but still manages to outmuscle players fairly regularly. That said, he has a tendency to hold opposition players a lot, which leads to foul concessions.

Costa is on course to comfortably become a starter for any team in the top five leagues on the continent. With a bit of polishing, he has the ability to play for a team that has European ambitions as well.

READ MORE: How Postecoglou's Celtic stacks up against Rodgers and Lennon sides

Pedro Diaz (Sporting Gijon)

Nationality: Spanish; Age: 23; Position: Central midfielder; Preferred foot: Right; Height:5ft 11in; TransferMarkt Value: £1.8million

Sporting Gijon mainly set up in a 4-2-3-1 with Diaz being the one in the double pivot who pushes forward with the ball.

He has been used on the left as well as the right side of the pitch and likes to move into the half-spaces to operate.

Diaz is a forward-thinking midfielder, attempting around 8.6 progressive passes per 90 minutes.

Not only does he use his passing to progress the ball but can also carry the ball forward, especially when there is space. The Spanish midfielder mostly looks for vertical passing options while attempting to break down the opposition defence.

The numbers above indicate that he attempts a lot of key passes, through passes and smart passes, which are all penetrating the defence. However, the high volume doesn’t account for the output. Despite being a front-footed passer, his passing still needs some polishing in the final third.

Diaz has quality footwork and uses that to get past players, even in tight situations. One could label him press-resistant to an extent as well, as he gets away from pressure calmly by using his feet to get the ball past the players.

His defensive awareness isn’t that great but he is good at breaking up play by intercepting loose passes. He also isn’t the quickest but his urgency in closing down players and pressing in the final third is a net positive.

It is worth noting that while his defensive numbers don't look very satisfying his game is well-aligned to being in possession rather than out of it.

Enzo Loiodice (Las Palmas)

Nationality: French; Age: 21; Position: Central midfielder; Preferred foot: Left; Height: 5ft 9in; TransferMarkt Value: £900,000

Loiodice was very highly-rated not so long ago but has failed to carry on early momentum at first-team level.

Still only 21, he has a long way to go and carries the potential to be a starter for a Champions League team. With his contract expiring in 2023, he could be a smart pick up for Celtic.

That said, this season Las Palmas find themselves 14th in the Segunda Division and Loiodice hasn’t really blown up either.

They have generally played a 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 with Loiodice playing on the right in the midfield quite often. The heatmap above indicates his involvement on the pitch.

One of Loiodice’s main strengths is his ability with the ball. He has good control which he makes use of while carrying the ball forward.

The Frenchman attempts 7.1 progressive passes per 90 minutes and, vitally, knows when to release a pass after a carry without overdoing things. He boasts around 87 per cent pass success rate and has a good passing range as well. He can go long when needed.

Loiodice is capable of sitting sit deep to influence a game and, while his form hasn’t been great lately, there is clear potential that could be unearthed under the right coach.

On the other side of the ball, it must be said he is not particularly comfortable defensively and isn’t a high-volume dueller. He goes to ground often, as indicated by his sliding tackle numbers, and can be a bit careless in giving away cheap fouls as a result.