Celtic have confirmed that they will not be signing David Turnbull this summer having previously agreed a fee.
After several twists and turns, Celtic confirmed on their official website on Thursday that David Turnbull will not be moving to Parkhead this summer despite the Hoops agreeing a fee with Motherwell for the midfielder.
It would not be a surprise if the statement ended up not bringing a definitive end to speculation linking Celtic with Turnbull, but it certainly appears that there is no way back during this window.
The news is likely to be a real blow for Neil Lennon, and he will now be looking at alternative targets who can perhaps fill the void that he expected Turnbull to fill in the Celtic lineup.
So perhaps it should not be a huge surprise to Hoops fans if Turnbull’s move collapsing results in Celtic stepping up their interest in Middlesbrough’s Paddy McNair amid reports that the Bhoys want the former Manchester United trainee.
The Northern Echo reported this week that Celtic are prepared to meet McNair’s £5 million asking price, but may struggle to compete with Sheffield United’s ability to match his current wages.
Of course, it is unlikely that Celtic will make a rash decision following Thursday’s announcement. But perhaps they may be more willing to increase the terms that they are prepared to offer McNair to make sure that another target does not fall through their grasp.
Celtic appear to have the quality to leave their midfield ranks as they are and make a fresh move for Turnbull further down the line. But if Lennon is determined to make an addition in the middle of the park during this window, maybe McNair has suddenly become a much more important target.
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