Record Sport has recently suggested that Aberdeen have declined a £3.5m bid from Celtic for their defender Scott McKenna this month and are demanding a fee in the region of £10m for their prized asset. The Scottish defensive ace is currently sidelined due to a hamstring injury after making three appearances for the Dons this season.
Who is Scott McKenna?
The 21-year-old centre-back was born at Kirriemuir, Scotland and came through the youth ranks of Aberdeen before making a loan move to Ayr United in search of regular first-team opportunities. He made just five appearances in the Scottish League One before coming back to the Pittodrie Stadium in the summer of 2015.
McKenna had featured for the Dons Under-20 side but failed to break into their senior team that season. Hence, he was loaned out once again, this time to Alloa Athletic where he managed to feature in 4 matches in the space of a month before returning to his parent club.
The Dons youth product finally managed to make a few appearances in the Scottish Premiership while coming off the bench in the second half of the 2015-16 campaign. However, Aberdeen sent him out on a temporary basis once again to Ayr United where he made 16 appearances with one goal and one assist to his name across all competitions.
McKenna came back as a much-improved player and managed to break into the Aberdeen first-team last season when he had featured in 33 matches for the Dons, scoring three goals in the process. At the tender age of 21, he has now become a regular starter under Derek McInnes, and the future is looking bright for the Scottish youngster.
How Will He Fit In Brendan Rodgers’ System?
McKenna is accustomed to playing as a left-sided centre-half and can slot in well in any of Rodgers’ 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 or 3-5-2 formation. He is well equipped to play a high line as he has enough pace to recover if a ball is played behind him. McKenna is an ‘old-school’ no-nonsense defender and is known for his perfectly timed tackles. He also has a good leap and can jump over opposition attackers to make some crucial clearances.
The Scottish starlet would add a lot of quality to the Hoops’ backline if they manage to bring him to Celtic Park this summer.
Is He Worth The £10m Price-tag?
The £10m price-tag set by Aberdeen might be a bit steep, but if Rodgers wants to address some of his defensive problems, then he might very well be worth that price. McKenna provides an added depth to the Bhoys’ defence and would increase more competition for places within the Hoops squad.
His defensive qualities will complement the likes of Jack Hendry, Dedryck Boyata, Jozo Šimunović and Kristoffer Ajer and will keep them on their toes to perform consistently and get better.
Can He Be A Success At Celtic Park?
McKenna has all the making of a modern-day centre-back and could be a massive success at Parkhead if given the opportunity to showcase his talents for the Glaswegian giants. However, the fact that he is currently out injured could dampen Celtic’s desire to opt for him as he won’t be available from the get-go.
Rodgers should look to consider making another attempt to prise him away from the Pittodrie Stadium this month as he can be an ideal solution to Celtic’s defensive problems in the long-run.
