Celtic have been linked with a move for the player as recently as this summer but a move hasn’t materialised.
The Hoops were heavily linked with a move for the Dons defender in 2018, reportedly having a £3.5m bid for his services rejected by the Pittodrie outfit last August (BBC Scotland).
The Scottish Sun then reported this June that Celtic had offered £5m to sign him, which was booted into touch too.
The Dons have since been said to value him at around £7m, with clubs such as Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest showing the most recent interest (The Daily Record).
Celtic have already demonstrated this summer they are willing to pay big for defenders if they fit the right profile, reckoned to have spent that much to bring Christopher Jullien from Toulouse (The Herald).
With McKenna also apparently willing to force Aberdeen’s hand, is there even a possibility they are forced to accept a lower fee for the player?
The time is right for Celtic to reignite their interest and test the waters, especially if no move comes together before the English transfer window shuts on Thursday.
The 22-year-old is a Scotland international teammate of Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney, James Forrest and others in the Celtic squad, so would likely fit in without a problem.
Neil Lennon’s squad, despite the capture of Jullien, is also in need of another defender.
Jozo Simunovic and Kristoffer Ajer are also available, but beyond that Lennon would have to turn to midfielder Nir Bitton, intended right-back Hatem Abd Elhamed or the out of favour Jack Hendry.
McKenna may not be the most fashionable of defenders but having been a regular in the Scottish Premiership for two seasons and still young, he has the potential to be an excellent option at the Hoops.
The Scottish champions clearly think he’s a viable option, or wouldn’t have reportedly bid for him last summer or in June.
It’s a situation to watch over the coming days and weeks.
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