Derby County midfielder Joe Ledley won three league titles with Celtic and would have provided plenty of depth and quality at Parkhead.
Derby County fans were united in breathing a giant sigh of relief when reports broke on Tuesday night that Joe Ledley had signed an extended contract with the club until the end of next season.
The combative Welsh international only arrived at Pride Park on a short-term deal in September but, after helping Derby remain unbeaten in eight straight games prior to the home defeat to Ipswich Town in midweek, fans were desperate for the club to tie him down before the January transfer window.
“We are really pleased,” said manager Gary Rowett in quotes reported by the Derby Telegraph. “He’s probably been more influential than we thought he’d be. He’s shown experience and quality and we are really pleased to get him on a longer deal.”
The only surprise is that Derby did not face more competition for Ledley, a player who has played plenty of Premier League football and helped Wales reach the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
Missing a trick?
Perhaps even Ledley’s former club Celtic should have considered a reunion in the New Year. The 30-year-old was a hugely popular figure at Parkhead, helping the club to three league titles and made it clear that he wanted to stay at the club, even after he had moved to Crystal Palace in January 2014.
While Celtic aren’t short of midfielders, Ledley would have provided plenty of steel in front of a back four that has struggled with injuries this season while also acting as an inspiration for highly-rated youngsters Kouassi Eboue and Kundai Benyu.
And with Celtic aiming to compete on both European and domestic fronts in 2018, further quality in depth would not go amiss. Instead, however, a return to Parkhead now looks out of the question.
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