Latest reports from the Scotsman conveys that Celtic are on high alert as Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has given the green light to Jermain Defoe regarding a move away from the Vitality stadium. The veteran forward has struggled for game time this season as Callum Wilson has been in tremendous goalscoring form this campaign. Apart from him, the manager also has Josh King, Ryan Fraser and Lys Mousset at his disposal, so one can understand why Howe is looking to ship Defoe away in January.
The same reports add that Rangers are also on high alert after this latest piece of development and they might also look for a move for the former England international. Defoe might be struggling for playing time now but even until last season; he played a decent role for the Cherries as he made 24 appearances in the Premier League.
Celtic though are in desperate need of a striker, and it is no surprise that they have been linked with quite a few of them as of now. After the sale of Moussa Dembele on the final day of the summer window, it was expected that the Hoops would put that money to use by signing a new striker. The necessity increased further when Leigh Griffiths decided to take some time off football to concentrate on his personal matters.
Defoe might be past his prime, but we believe Celtic should look to pull off this move especially given the fact that Rangers are also in the mix to sign the striker.
The Hoops cannot afford to have another poor transfer window, and the signing of this veteran goalscorer would definitely bring some excitement at the club. The 36-year-old is not going to be a long-term answer to Rodgers’ problems, but he still has enough in his arsenal to be prolific in the Scottish Premiership.
The Englishman comes alive in the final third, and his numbers in the Premier League speak for itself. The striker can link up play well, and he would be a decent understudy to Odsonne Edouard. Defoe might not play every game, but his experience can come in handy especially in this title race which we have on our hands right now.
One problem we feel the Hoops might have to face to land Defoe is going to be his wages and the Englishman might have to take a pay cut to join Celtic Park. It remains to be seen how the Hoops would manage the financial side of this deal.
