Celtic are reportedly keen on Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna.
Celtic hit back from three disappointing games with a 3-1 win over Partick Thistle on Saturday afternoon, but Brendan Rodgers needs signings before the end of the month.
The Bhoys drew with 10-man AEK Athens, lost to Hearts and then lost again to AEK, meaning Celtic are out of the Champions League before even getting to the final play-off qualification round.
Rodgers has desperately appealed for new signings, whilst it’s expected that defender Dedryck Boyata will finally move on after a lengthy stand-off between player and club.
If Boyata goes, a centre back signing is an absolute must, and The Scottish Sun recently reported that Celtic are keen to bring in Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna to boost Rodgers’ options.
The 21-year-old has certainly impressed with the Dons, becoming a Scotland international whilst attracting interest from a host of clubs, with the Daily Record recently claiming Aberdeen want a staggering £10million for his services.
That fee would be a problem for Celtic, especially without Champions League football, but reinvesting money from a Boyata sale would put them in a strong position to offer a considerable fee, and offering a player in exchange would surely make a deal more enticing.
The player that sticks out as a potential makeweight is playmaker Ryan Christie, who spent 18 months on loan at Pittodrie before returning to Celtic this summer, where he continues to struggle for playing time.
Christie – signed by Ronny Deila in 2015 – is still only 23 and starred under Derek McInnes with 15 goals in 58 games for Aberdeen, and given that he is way down the Celtic pecking order, a return to Aberdeen may be appealing to the playmaker.
Aberdeen will want to stand firm on McKenna before the end of the transfer window, but offering cash plus Christie could be one way for Celtic to try and tempt them into a deal.
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