Denayer reportedly earning £25k-a-week, should Celtic still sign him?

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Celtic are reportedly winning the race to land the Manchester City defender.

Celtic are reportedly winning the race to sign Manchester city defender Jason Denayer, after two European sides were forced to pull out of the bidding – but is the big Belgian really worth it?

Belgian outlet Niewusblad claim 23-year-old Denayer was the subject of a move that would see Galatasaray re-sign the eight-time Belgium international on loan for £2.7million, after he helped Gala win the league last season.

However, Gala failed to give the former Sunderland loanee any assurances, while Italian Serie A side Torino failed to meet the demands of City. It is now believed that Celtic are winning the race, as they have the “best papers”.

Celtic desperately need a centre-back, with Jozo Simunovic falling way below par and the saga surrounding Dedryck Boyata likely to see the former City centre-back leave before August 31.

But is Denayer really the man Celtic need to sign? Yes, he has won the Scottish Premiership with Celtic and impressed during the 2014-15 season-long loan in which he made 44 appearances and scored six goals.

But the Daily Star claim he is earning £25,000 a week at Manchester City, and though Celtic are likely to have the funds to match such a figure, it would see Denayer move on to the same wage as Moussa Dembele and Scott Brown (Daily Star).

Dembele and Brown remain absolutely vital to Celtic, and arguably the club’s two best players. Surely then, if Celtic are to match Denayer’s wages, they need to make sure that the defender is on a par with the duo.

But Denayer’s inability to break into the City side and a dismal loan with Sunderland which saw the Wearside club relegated suggests that the defender has weaknesses.

Celtic should weigh up their options before splashing out a huge chunk of cash on Denayer, with better options surely out there in terms of finances.