Celtic are still looking to bolster their squad for the ongoing season as they still need to add reinforcements in certain areas. Fullback is one position where they have been linked with plenty of players this summer and one of them is Kilmarnocks’s left-back Greg Taylor.
The recently capped Scottish international has been linked heavily with a move to Parkhead in the last few days. However, Neil Lennon is set to have competition from English outfit Sunderland who have reportedly (Daily Record) made a bid for the 21-year-old fullback.
Even Celtic have put in a bid for the defender, and now with offers on the table, Kilmarnock is set to assess them. Neither bid has been accepted so far, but discussions will be made soon regarding the future of Taylor. Killie had earlier made it clear to Celtic that Taylor will cost them £3m. It remains to be seen now what kind of offers have been made by the Hoops and the Black Cats.
The English transfer window for Premier League and Championship clubs has closed, but League One and League Two outfits can still sign players until the second of September just like their Scottish counterparts. Jack Ross had previously worked in the Premiership before, and he has brought in quite a few players from the Scottish leagues ever since his arrival. Therefore it is no surprise to see him target the Killie man who had an impressive last campaign.
Celtic were reportedly unwilling to meet Kilamrnock’s demand of £3m, but they have been forced into action by the entrance of Sunderland in this transfer deal. The Hoops are hoping that they can get the deal over the line as they are willing to offer Jack Hendry on loan to sweeten the deal for last season’s second runners up in the Premiership.
Can Celtic fend off competition from Sunderland?
In 2018, Celtic were heavily interested in John McGinn and had made numerous bids for him. The midfielder decided to join Aston Villa who were playing in the Championship, and now the Scotsman has emerged as a crucial player for them in the English top flight.
Therefore the attraction of moving to an English club cannot be ignored even though Celtic can offer Taylor a chance to play in Europe. It is likely going to come down to the player; if he is looking for a new challenge, then he might opt for a move to the Wearside club. However, Celtic should have the financial power to beat Sunderland in the transfer market, and they should be able to get this deal over the line if they desperately want to land the player.
