With Fulham set to renew interest in Dedryck Boyata, the Daily Mail reports that Celtic would also look to revive their interest in Aberdeen centre-half Scott McKenna. The defender was subject to a failed bid in the summer from the Hoops, and the Dons reportedly demanded £10m (Daily Record) for their 21-year-old defender.
There is nothing left to the imagination about Boyata’s situation, and it is almost certain that he won’t be a Celtic player beyond this season. However, it remains to be seen whether the defender would leave in January or run down his contract by staying at Park Head until the end of the season.
The Belgian is open to signing a pre-contract deal in January with other clubs and Rodgers also indicated the same recently. He was quoted as saying(Via The Daily Mail),”He’s (Boyata) at the stage where he will assess everything and he is probably going to sign the biggest deal of his life over the next couple of months.”
With Fulham struggling at the back (the Cottagers have conceded the most goals in the Premier League so far), Claudio Raniero can look to bring in reinforcements in the winter transfer period, and Boyata should be on top of his list. Brendan Rodgers has a decent amount of cover in the form of Jozo Simunovic, Kristoffer Ajer and Jack Hendry at the back but someone like McKenna would be an upgrade over all of them.
The Aberdeen star is also drawing interest ( The Scottish Sun) from Premier League clubs like Wolves as well and it shouldn’t be any surprise if the interest intensifies as the January window approaches. Rodgers has a massive dilemma to solve as keeping hold of Boyata would mean losing out on a few million which the club can use to bring in his replacement. However, keeping hold of him would ensure a strong backline for the Bhoys for the rest of the season as the 27-year-old has formed a formidable partnership with Filip Benkovic of late.
McKenna will be a perfect long-term replacement for someone like Boyata as he has all the ingredients which are required in a modern-day defender. At just 21, he has even established himself in the Scotland national team.
Celtic needs to go in all out to have their man as playing the waiting game in case of McKenna could cost the club with English clubs vying for his signature. It is no surprise that the Hoops are set to revive their interest again but it remains to be seen whether the club would pay such a steep price. Rodgers should have money to play with after the sale of Dembele, so the club definitely have it in them to pull off a significant coup in January.
