BOLD comparisons to world-class players can sometimes become an albatross around the neck of a player. Ryan Gauld has yet to show that he is up to the level of Lionel Messi, and Oliver Burke is still some way from matching the achievements of Gareth Bale, for example.

But they can also be useful as an illustration of what fans can expect from a player they might not be familiar with, as long as they don’t necessarily expect the same level of play as the superstar they are being compared to.

So, when Slovakian football journalist Lukáŝ Vráblik says that Celtic target Andraz Sporar is similar to Robert Lewandowski, he is referencing his style of play, rather than making any outlandish predictions over the goalscoring exploits that fans of the Scottish champions can expect if Neil Lennon gets his man.

Still, his strike-rate of 20 goals in 26 games for Slovan Bratislava this season is one that even the Polish hitman would be proud of.

“I think the best comparison I can make is that he is somewhere between Robert Lewandowski and Fernando Torres in terms of his style,” Vráblik said.

“He’s not really a target man or someone who is always sniffing out chances in the box, but he is somewhere between that.

“He is good at pressing, he can hold the ball up well and he is good in the air. He is physical and can combine well with others, so he’s a really good all-round player.

“He is also one of the most important players in the dressing room. He is a leader. At Olimpija Ljubljana he was already the captain at 21, so that shows you the type of personality he is.

“I don’t know if it may be a bit lazy to compare him to Lewandowski, but he is similar and is the best striker currently in Eastern Europe.

“The only issue with him is that he has only done really well in the smaller leagues in Slovenia and in Slovakia, so the question is whether or not he can do that in a tougher league and in bigger games on a regular basis.

“He has started to score a lot of goals for the national team and also in the Europa League this season, but there are obviously doubts about whether he could do that in a big league.

“He has yet to play regularly in a big league, but when it comes to his qualities, I don’t really see a weakness there.”

The 4-2-3-1 formation favoured by Celtic is one that Sporar is well accustomed to, and Vráblik believes the 25-year-old thrives when handed the responsibility of playing as a main striker.

With Odsonne Edouard the clear first choice for the lone forward role at Celtic though, he could have quite a fight on his hands for game-time, regardless of what would likely be a hefty price tag.

“Slovan play the same formation that Celtic play, so he should fit in well,” said Vráblik.

“I don’t know what Celtic’s intentions are, if they want to make him the main striker or not, but he would certainly be the biggest ever transfer out of the Slovakian league if he leaves, so I don’t really know if Celtic would spend so much on a player that would be on the bench.

“The price would be so high that he should be used a lot, but he’s the kind of player who likes the role of being the key man, and he thrives under the pressure of being the number one striker, so I wouldn’t be worried about that.

“Slovan seem to be wanting around €7million, and there have been other clubs who are interested in him, so they will try to get as much as they possibly can.

“That level sounds realistic to me, and I think that’s a good price for a good player from this league. I don’t think they could expect to get any more than that.”

The other concern when any player from a smaller club moves to Celtic, whether from home or abroad, is how they will adapt to the pressure and scrutiny that comes from performing in front of 60,000 supporters every other week. But Vráblik has no worries on that regard in relation to Sporar.

“With Slovan, there was an issue before they opened their new stadium where they played at the old Inter Bratislava ground,” he said. “There were maybe a couple of hundred fans at home games, and Sporar was one of the players who often complained about playing in front of empty stands.

“In the Europa League games this season in the new stadium that were all sold out, after every game he would come out and say how good it was for him to finally play in front of a full stadium, so he is the sort of player who really thrives in front of large crowds.

“He likes to be the star of the occasion, so he would probably thrive playing in a stadium like Celtic Park. Mentally, he is a leader, so I wouldn’t be worried about how he would handle the pressure.”