Former Celtic players Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk have enjoyed great success at Southampton but will Stuart Armstrong follow in their footsteps?
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is all too aware of the fact that the money on offer in the Premier League makes the Scottish Premiership’s best and brightest somewhat easy targets.
Southampton, in particular, have taken to hunting north of the border in the search for bargains in recent years. And, after previous deals for Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk proved to be a roaring success, it appears that The Saints are once again hoping to raid Celtic for one of their prized assets.
The Sun (page 63, July 2) claims that Southampton are interested in dynamic midfielder Stuart Armstrong. The former Dundee United favourite, whose superb performances were rewarded with a belated Scotland debut in March, netted 17 goals in all competitions as Celtic sealed a first domestic treble since 2001.
Stuart Armstrong was arguably the best midfielder in Scotland last season
Consequently, he is valued at £10 million despite having just a year remaining on his contract. Though it’s far from certain that Armstrong will travel the well-worn path from Celtic to the South Coast.
Bhoys manager Brendan Rodgers urged the 25-year-old to continue his progression in Scotland for at least another couple of years, as reported by the Daily Record. Meanwhile, the midfielder has hinted that his immediate future remains at Celtic with a contract extension potentially on the way.
Following in their footsteps
However, perhaps he should consider the progress made by Wanyama and Van Dijk at Southampton before turning his back on a move.
After three years with The Saints, Kenyan powerhouse Wanyama made the step up with Tottenham Hotspur last summer and has never looked back. An essential, if understated component of Mauricio Pochettino’s thrilling side, Wanyama started all but three Premier League games as Spurs finished runners-up behind Chelsea.
Tottenham’s Victor Wanyama
Meanwhile, Van Dijk has impressed so much during two seasons at Southampton that he could become the most expensive defender in footballing history this summer. According to The Telegraph, a player Celtic once signed for £2.2 million from Groningen could now cost £60 million.
If that doesn’t convince Armstrong to consider life outside of Celtic, very little will.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
