Celtic had reportedly hoped to sign Phil Jagielka, but Sheffield United have apparently won the race to sign the centre-back.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Sheffield United have beaten Celtic in the race to sign Phil Jagielka, with the defender set to sign a one-year contract at Bramall Lane after leaving Everton.
Jagielka is currently a free agent after being released by the Toffees at the end of last season following 12 years on Merseyside. Despite the 36-year-old reaching the twilight of his career, he appears to have had some exciting options on the table.
He had been training with Burnley, according to the Mail, while the Hoops were interested in taking him to Parkhead as Neil Lennon looks to deliver the club’s ninth Scottish Premiership title in a row.
However, the Mail suggests that it is the Blades who have won the race to bag his signature, with Jagielka poised to put pen to paper on a 12-month deal with Chris Wilder’s men who find themselves back at English football’s top table.
Always a losing battle for Celtic?
It is not clear how determined Lennon was to sign Jagielka for Celtic, but it would not be a surprise if Sheffield United were always going to be the defender’s first choice once it was suggested that they could make a move.
He left Bramall Lane having made 287 appearances for the club in all competitions, and his departure came just after they had been relegated from the top flight. So he would probably love nothing more than to help Wilder’s men try and secure a second successive season in the top flight.
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