Ajer is probably every bit as good as Hendry though. We can’t have too many young centre backs. We really need one more established centre back there at least and then we could do without Boyata and have Ajer and Sviatchenko in reserve.
Also how is Caceres getting on at Verona? Would have liked him as centre back and left back cover. That’s the type of experienced signing we could have done with, and left back cover us crucial unless Miller is ready to play regularly (which I don’t think is the case).
Caceres is right footed, could probably cover left back but wouldn’t like him there for a run in the team.
I don’t think we can sign and keep a quality left back to be a sub behind Tierney. Celtic can’t really keep high class defensive backups. So we’re better off going for another Lustig type IMO but probably someone who’s primarily a centre back but can cover left back.
Presume Sviatchenko is being sold due to his complete omission from matchday squads despite being back in training for quite a while.
Derek Rae’s thoughts on Compper:
Before @Nembo_Kid’s time, a young chap called @Rudi didn’t think very much of him:
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Compper has officially signed.
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Morgan supposedly close too but he will see out the season with St Mirren. Hendry is also being strongly linked in a similar deal.
Not sure how good either are.
Morgan certainly looks a done deal based on these quotes from the St Mirren CEO:
ST MIRREN supremo Tony Fitzpatrick insists Celtic will land a £1million player for just £300,000 when they sign Lewis Morgan.
The Scotland Under-21 international midfielder has been strongly linked with a move to the champions next month.
It’s a cut-price deal that is likely to see the highly-rated youngster loaned back to the Saints until the end of the season.
Chief Executive Fitzpatrick said: “Lewis is a really exciting talent, and in normal circumstances, he is a £1million player.
“He’s got two great feet, he’s got pace, he’s exciting and he’s a great lad. When you talk about wanting to be a top player, then he’s a very impressive young man.
“In terms of ability, Lewis is as good as anything at Celtic, if I’m being honest.
“But what you really need, and what lets down a lot of players who go to Celtic, is that mental toughness. Lewis has that.
“He has a real desire in his mind he wants to be a top player and nothing is going to stop him.
“Lewis practices constantly, he lives his life properly off the park and he’s a very grounded boy.
“There’s something different about him, marrying that real desire with that mental strength.
“The kid has put up with a lot. You have to remember that he was discarded by Rangers (sic).
“He was told he was too small to be a football player.
“There will be kids out there getting let go just now and they’ll think their world is over.
“Instead of buckling, Lewis had that belief inside of him to say: ‘No, they are wrong’.
“When we played against Celtic in the Scottish Cup last season, I think Brendan Rodgers was wowed when he saw this kid running at people and his intensity in the game in shutting people down.
“If Celtic do sign him, they’ve got a top young player.”
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18m is a disappointing fee. We should have no problem demanding a 25m fee for him, given the current market and EPL spending. Van Dijk and Wanyama have paved the way for us demanding bigger fees in the EPL.
€18m is fuck all these days, thought they’d surely be getting 30
How long has he left on his contract?
Don’t think there’s any truth in this one, bhoys.
I love the conspiracy theory that this is to upset Celtic ahead of meeting Rangers .
75,000,000 x 12.5% = 9,375,000.
Celtic under Rodgers are determined to get full value for players.No more will we let players go on the relative cheap to the EPL.
Nice to get the sell on to add to the 12,000,000 upfront but we should have gotten 40,000,000 for Van Dijk at the time.
Ye will have made a massive share more now than what Liverpool will sell him for in 2 years.
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This Lewis Morgan chap is apparently having his Celtic medical today. Likely to return to St Mirren on loan until the end of the season.
Some other stuff from recent days:
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Rodgers said he sees Eboue Kouassi as Brown’s long term replacement but Brown’s durability and form means Eboue hasn’t played much. Said he’s considering sending him out on loan. Kilmarnock is a rumoured destination, like Ajer’s deal last winter.
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Simunovic linked with Burnley again.
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Direct quotes from Sviatchenko saying he’s been told to find a new club and he’s looking to get a deal sorted this month.
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Liam Henderson being tracked by Hibs and some Scandinavian clubs. He’s out of contract in the summer.
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Benyu linked with a loan move to Oldham.
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Nothing concrete on Dembélé.