Celtic won’t be signing Swansea City defender Connor Roberts.
Celtic may have been keen on signing Swansea City right back Connor Roberts, but their hopes of a 2019 have been dashed today.
The Bhoys are in the market for a new right back, given that both Mikael Lustig and Cristian Gamboa are out of contract at the end of the season and Anthony Ralston doesn’t appear ready for a key role yet.
A number of right backs have been linked, but the The Sun on Sunday (print edition, page 60, Sunday, November 18, 2018) reported that Celtic sent scout Mick Docherty to watch Roberts in action last week, most likely for Wales against Denmark.
Roberts, 23, has come up through the Swansea ranks having been born in nearby Neath, and has now stepped up to being a first-team star under Graham Potter this season.
One of the Football League’s most promising right backs, Roberts could have been a bargain for Celtic, as his contract was set to expire next summer, meaning a pre-contract agreement was possible in January.
However, Swansea have today confirmed that Roberts has penned a new contract with the club until the summer of 2022, officially ending Celtic’s hopes of a 2019 deal – unless they return with a multi-million pound offer, which seems unlikely.
That leaves Brendan Rodgers and Celtic to go back to the drawing board in their search for a right back, which is likely to be a key priority when the transfer window re-opens.
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