The Celtic centre-back is reportedly being lined up by Sunderland – because they do not have enough flat-footed centre-backs!
Depending on which side of the fence you are situated, Efe Ambrose was either an error-prone defender never good enough to pull on the Celtic shirt or merely a convenient scapegoat unfairly singled out at every available opportunity.
Either way, if David Moyes wants to bring the Nigerian to Sunderland, and The Chronicle claims that he may well do after watching the defender put in a Man of the Match performance at loan club Hibernian on Friday, he should prepare for a few questions.
Firstly, Sunderland have enough mistake-riddled centre-backs on their books. That is a major factor why the Black Cats are bottom of the Premier League table with the fourth worst defensive record in the top flight.
And the fact that Brendan Rodgers excluded Ambrose from his plans for the entire first half of the season does not bode well for fans hankering for an upgrade on Papy Djilobodji.
Furthermore, the 28-year-old is only plying his trade under former Celtic boss Neil Lennon with second tier side Hibernian because Blackburn Rovers, a team who have spent the vast majority of the season entrenched in the Championship relegation zone, were unable to secure a work permit.
Sunderland’s financial restrictions have been well documented but, even by their standards, this would be an underwhelming signing in the extreme.
Especially when you consider Ambrose’s standing among a number of Celtic supporters:
Éfe Ambrose has played twice for Celtic this season. Two European qualifiers in July. One was a defeat to mighty Lincoln Red Imps Gibraltar
— James Wilkinson (@jimwilkz) February 1, 2017
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