Celtic have been linked with Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna but Hearts’ John Souttar is a definite option, too.
It has not been the most eye-catching international break for Alex McLeish’s Scotland; a humiliating home trashing by Belgium followed by a rather unconvincing Nations League win against Albania.
But the performance of John Souttar at Hampden Park on Monday night certainly goes down as a positive. The 21-year-old Hearts defender made only his second appearance for the national team in Scotland’s Group C opener and he did not look out of place.
Rugged yet stylish with the ball at his feet, Souttar looks like one player McLeish should build his side around.
And a solid display in the navy blue of Scotland should not go unnoticed, particularly with Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers looking out for a centre-back.
The Daily Record says that Rodgers believes another young international, Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna, is ‘the real deal’. Celtic had a £3.5 million bid rejected by the Dons recently, as reported by the BBC, with Derek McInnes’s side valuing McKenna at around £10 million.
But against Albania, Souttar showed once again why McKenna should not be the only homegrown defender on Rodgers’ radar. He could be every bit as good as his £10 million-rated compatriot.
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