Brendan Rodgers handed Conor Coady his debut at Liverpool and the Wolves midfielder could solve a problem at Celtic.
Conor Coady was forced to be patient before making his long-awaited Liverpool debut in 2012. The teenager was one of the most highly-rated players to emerge from the club’s academy since the turn of the century but, after being first included in a matchday squad in 2009, it took three years for the talented midfielder to finally make his mark in the senior side.
And it should come as no surprise that the former Liverpool Under-21 skipper was handed his senior bow by none other than Brendan Rodgers. After all, the former Chelsea academy coach is one of the best managers around when it comes to getting the best out of young players.
“(Rodgers) just sat me down and said, ‘Go and enjoy yourself, no-one can ever take it away from you. You will have played for Liverpool, just go and play your game’,” Coady told the Anfield Wrap in 2016, reminiscing about his professional debut in a 1-0 Europa League defeat to Anzhi in 2012.
Five years on, Coady might not have fulfilled his dream of playing regularly for his boyhood club but the 24-year-old is carving out a solid career in the English second tier.
Signing for Wolves from Huddersfield Town in 2015, Coady was transformed from a midfielder to a right-back last season under Paul Lambert and has been reinvented again at the centre of a back three under Nuno Espirito Santo.
And his excellent performances, particularly in that EFL Cup penalty shootout defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday, has Premier League clubs willing to give Coady a second chance in the top flight. The Sun claims Newcastle and West Brom are interested with Coady valued at around £7 million.
Though Rodgers should consider a reunion at Celtic – especially with the Scottish Sun reporting that the manager is desperate to enhance his defensive options with an injury crisis stretching his squad to its limit.
At £7 million, Coady would be Celtic’s record signing. But a player Rodgers knows well and could use in a variety of positions.
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