Are Celtic’s hopes of signing Nick Powell ambitious given January price-tag?

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Celtic are interested in a summer move for Nick Powell, but surely Wigan Athletic’s price-tag makes a deal unlikely?

According to a report from The Sun on Sunday (print edition; 4th February 2018; page 60), Celtic considered making a January move for Wigan star Nick Powell, and are now plotting to return for the forward in the summer.

Powell has been sensational this season for the Latics. He has scored 12 times in the league to help Paul Cook’s men establish themselves as the front-runners to secure automatic promotion to the Championship, so it is no surprise that teams are having a look.

The Sun on Sunday reports that the Hoops’ chances of making a bid for Powell – who turned down Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, according to the same report – were dependant on the club selling Moussa Dembele, but no bids ultimately came in for the Frenchman.

However, The Sun on Sunday adds that they are now plotting a fresh move. But surely, given what Wigan’s asking price for Powell was at the end of the January window, Rodgers is potentially setting his sights too high by pursuing the 23-year-old.

According to the Daily Mail’s live transfer feed on deadline day (31st January 2018; 16:22), Wigan were looking for £15 million for their talisman heading into the final hours of the window.

While the timing of the interest may have led to the price going up – as the Latics would have had little time to find a replacement – the fact is that Wigan could well be a Championship club by the time Celtic get another chance to bid for Powell, so that asking price may not be too far off the mark once again.

If that proves to be the case, Rodgers seriously needs to ask himself whether going after Powell is the right decision. They would surely have had to have sold Moussa Dembele to fund a move, and that would then take a large chunk of whatever they made from letting the striker go.

Powell is an exciting talent, but given that this is only the second time that he has reached double figures for a league season during his – albeit, brief – career, spending that kind of amount would make a deal a huge gamble for Celtic.

If the Bhoys can land Powell for significantly less than what Wigan wanted in January, then a deal could prove to be a brilliant one, but if the Latics do not plan to lower their asking price, Rodgers surely should look to consider other targets as it seems difficult to imagine the club sanctioning a £15 million bid for a player after a brilliant season in England’s third tier.