Frank McAvennie urges Celtic to sign Filip Benkovic permanently

Follow us on Google Discover

Frank McAvennie believes that Celtic need to do all they can to sign Filip Benkovic permanently after a brilliant start to his loan spell.

In comments reported by Herald Scotland, Frank McAvennie has urged Celtic to do all they can to sign Filip Benkovic permanently as he believes that he could be as good as Virgil van Dijk for the Hoops.

Benkovic arrived on loan from Leicester City in the summer and has proved to be a superb addition to Celtic’s squad. Heading into the season, the Bhoys’ defence appeared to be their biggest weakness.

But the 21-year-old has been excellent and Celtic have kept eight clean sheets in the 10 games that he has played. Several Hoops fans are desperate to see the club make a move to keep Benkovic beyond the season, and Brendan Rodgers admitted recently, in comments reported by The Scottish Sun, that he would love to hold onto him.

And McAvennie believes that breaking the bank to sign him permanently would be an amazing move.

“I know Benkovic is on loan but I would love for us to buy him. I’d spend the money on him,” he said, as reported by Herald Scotland. “No matter what you pay for him, you will get a lot more back if they sold him in a couple of years.

“I know comparing him with Van Dijk is saying something but that’s what I see in this lad. If you were to spend £15m on the boy now, you would get a minimum of £25m and also a few years out of him – plus an add-on when he moves on again.

“Benkovic cruises through matches. Good defenders read the game. One of the best I played against was Alan Hansen who wasn’t a hardman – he could tackle right enough – but he read the game so well and could make me look like a fool at times. I can see that in this boy.”

Based on how he has started life at Parkhead, it is difficult to imagine Leicester being willing to listen to offers for the centre-back.

Apart from Harry Maguire, Claude Puel arguably does not have a huge amount of quality in that area of the pitch, so they may well want a huge sum before they allow Benkovic to leave the King Power Stadium permanently.

But with Benkovic’s value probably rising with every appearance he makes, Celtic should surely seriously consider making a move in the January transfer window if they hope to stand a chance of agreeing a permanent deal.