The lowdown from IMScouting.com on Slovenian striker Valter Birsa, surprisingly linked with Celtic earlier this week.
Slovenian striker Valter Birsa seemed stunned by reports earlier this week linking him with a move to Celtic which just goes to show that players are fully aware when they are not performing.
The 22-year-old striker, who showed great promise in his early years, has struggled in France and whilst he could well be set for a move this summer, there is no guarantee he would score goals in Scotland after failing spectacularly in France.
After scoring 19 goals in 35 games for Hit Gorcia in 2005/2006, Sochaux signed Birsa hoping he would be a regular goal scorer. The 6.0ft striker has claimed a paltry nine goals in three seasons and Sochaux seemingly lost patience with Birsa, so sent him out on loan at Auxerre for the second half of the season.
Thankfully for Birsa, he doesn’t only score goals and is known for his playmaking ability, scouts in France also note how he scores spectacular goals despite them being few and far between.
Birsa does though have time on his side and is noted for being a true professional who never misses training. His main problem appears to be achieving the consistency to score goals and produce match winning performances week-in-week-out.
To add to the question marks surrounding Birsa, he has also failed to score for Slovenia in 25 appearances. In 2008 Birsa was only used as a substitute and is behind the likes of Zlatko Dedic and Milivoje Novakovic in the pecking order for the national team.
His loan spell comes to an end at Auxerre at the end of the season and he will return to Sochaux who will likely look to move Birsa on since his contract runs out in 2009/2010.
Having impressed earlier on in his career, Birsa could be worth a punt for around one million euros. He has a lot to prove after an unsuccessful spell in France and a dedicated professional such as Birsa should improve in the coming years.
Click here for the IMScouting website.
(Many more players to watch from around the globe can be seen on the IMScouting website. The IMScouting database is used by some of the biggest clubs in the world to find new talent, including Borussia Dortmund, Panathinaikos and Lille.)