Celtic want Tom James but Swansea City offers a greater opportunity

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Scottish Premiership champions Celtic want Yeovil Town right-back Tom James but so do Premier Laegue outfit Swansea City.

Tom James’ performances for Yeovil Town this season have not gone unnoticed – but do Swansea City need him more than Celtic?

The right-back moved to the Glovers on a free from Cardiff City in January 2017 and has enjoyed a very impressive breakthrough year at Huish Park.

James has been a shining light in a difficult season for Darren Way’s outfit and has started 26 games in the fourth tier of English football, while impressing hugely in Yeovil’s FA Cup defeat against Manchester United in January, when he came up against Alexis Sanchez on his Red Devil’s debut.

And according to the Daily Record, Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have been alerted to James’ displays.

The former Wales U19 ace, who was linked with the Hoops in January before penning a two-year deal with Yeovil, is exactly the kind of promising young talent that Celtic base their transfer policy around.

And he could be a long-term successor to Swedish international Mikael Lustig, who has come under fire for his performances of late.

Though according to The Independent, Celtic have a lot to do to lure James to Parkhead, because it is understood that Premier League outfit Swansea are the current favourites, perhaps with the added advantage of being able to offer James a return to South Wales.

And it seems that Swansea need James more than Celtic right now. After all, the Hoops already have a promising young right-back in their ranks in Anthony Ralston, the 19-year-old academy graduate who only signed a new four-year deal at Parkhead back in December.

For Swansea, meanwhile, right-back has been a problem position for all season with Kyle Naughton struggling frequently and the veteran Angel Rangel suffering with injuries. Naughton in particular is in desperate need of competition and the harsh reality is that he surely would not have started 28 Premier League games if the Swans had any other alternatives.

Celtic represents an excellent opportunity for any young player but James would be hard pushed to turn down a return to his homeland – and the exposure of Premier League football.

Furthermore, you could argue that first-team football would be more likely at The Liberty. James could be Swansea’s first-choice right-back for years to come.