Burnley have set their sights on Sheffield United full-back George Baldock after Celtic failed with a loan bid for the £8 million-rated defender, as reported by the Daily Mail.
After Rafa Benitez’s Everton hijacked Celtic’s pursuit of Royal Antwerp flyer Aurelio Buta, the Scottish Premiership giants could lose another of their top transfer targets to a club from south of the border.
New coach Ange Postecoglou had hoped to reinforce Celtic’s squad with a number of experienced, British-based players – a la Joe Hart and James McCarthy – after taking over from Neil Lennon.
And, according to The Star, Postecoglou had identified 28-year-old Baldock as the club’s number one target as they look to solve a problem position at long last.
Buckingham-born Baldock had been one of Sheffield United’s best performers during their superb 2019/20 campaign, shining in the top flight of English football with his diligent one-v-one defending and excellent crossing ability catching the eye.
Celtic are in no position to pay the £8 million Sheffield United want for Baldock, however – a fee that would make the former Oxford ace the second most-expensive signing in the club’s history.
George Baldock looks set to join Burnley, not Celtic
Any hopes Celtic had of landing Baldock on a short-term loan deal soon went up in smoke too.
And that’s no real surprise. Sheffield United were never going to loan out a player who, as things stand, would leave Bramall Lane on a free transfer in summer 2022.
Burnley should find it easer to meet the Blades’ demands given the riches on offer in the Premier League.
Baldock, the sort of dependable, hard-working player Sean Dyche adores, would come cheaper than Everton’s Jonjoe Kenny too.
Swansea’s Wales international Connor Roberts has also been linked with a move to Turf Moor.
“You never know in this world what can happen,” Sheffield United coach Slavisa Jokanovic said when asked about Celtic’s interest in Baldock.
“But this gossip in the newspaper, I hope it isn’t true.”
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