Celtic centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers suffered a knee injury earlier this month and has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Hoops have conceded 30 goals in 36 Scottish Premiership matches this season, an impressive defensive record, but five of those goals have come in the last two games – without the American international.
Ange Postecoglou's side lost 3-0 in the Old Firm clash before being held to a 2-2 draw by St. Mirren last weekend in the top-flight, which shows that the back line has struggled without the ex-Tottenham man.
Speaking on PLZ Soccer, pundit Alan Rough criticised Carl Starfelt in the absence of his central defensive teammate. He said:
“They (St Mirren) looked at the Rangers game and said ‘right, if you have a go at this defence, no Cameron Carter-Vickers, no Johnston there.’
“Starfelt looks lost without Carter-Vickers there. He looks all over the place and I don’t know what he was trying to do at the second goal. He never even challenged the header."
The 27-year-old Sweden international was particularly poor in the Rangers defeat as he lost four of his seven duels and made one error directly leading to a goal.
As such, Postecoglou could ruthlessly ditch the £19k-per-week dud from the starting XI next season by securing a swoop to sign Xavier Mbuyamba this summer.
Who is Xavier Mbuyamba?
He is a 21-year-old central defender who is currently playing for FC Volendam in the Dutch Eredivisie and is a reported transfer target for Celtic and Watford heading into the summer window.
The former Barcelona and Chelsea academy prospect has enjoyed an excellent debut season at senior level after arriving in his home country from Stamford Bridge, where he played 21 Premier League 2 matches, last year.
Mbuyamba averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across 27 matches in the Eredivisie and made 3.5 tackles and interceptions and 5.3 clearances per game. Starfelt, meanwhile, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.20 across 26 Premiership outings but only made 2.1 tackles and interceptions and 4.2 clearances per match.
The current Celtic centre-back has also won 67% of his duels in comparison to the Dutchman's 52% success rate in his physical battles, which suggests that the Hoops defender is more efficient in his defending.
However, he is also six years older than the ex-Chelsea enforcer and Mbuyamba could come in as a player who is able to hit the ground running whilst also having the potential to improve and develop as he gains more experience at first-team level.
The titan, who was lauded as "complete" and "dominant" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, won 73% of his aerial duels in five appearances in the Football League Trophy last season and this shows that the defender has the ability, at 6 foot 5, to dominate players in the air.
He may have work still to do to reach Starfelt's level but Postecoglou could place faith in the 21-year-old's development and bring him in as a starter, ditching the 27-year-old, next season in the hope that the gem can improve his efficiency whilst remaining active in making tackles, interceptions, and clearances more frequently than the Swedish dud.