Celtic failed to land Scott Mckenna in the summer as their approach was thwarted by Aberdeen. However, the latest reports from the Scotsman confirms that Celtic are set to renew their interest in him.
This development shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody as the Scotland international has gone from strength to strength this season. His recent performance against Rangers which earned the Dons only their second win at Ibrox in 27 years, provides further proof of his abilities.
The defender scored an early goal, and it was back against the wall kind of stuff for Dereck McInnes’ side for the most part of the game. They even went down to 10 men in the 34th minute, but McKenna’s heroic display at the back earned them a well-deserved win. He led the backline brilliantly on the day and was often the calming influence for his side.
BT Sports presenter Darrell Currie also talked on similar lines and indicated that Celtic going back for the defender in January looks inevitable. He was quoted as saying,”Scott McKenna’s display at Ibrox tonight will only increase interest in him this January. What a player he’s developing into. You can see why Aston Villa bid so high for him, and why Celtic will no doubt be in for him again soon.”
Reports(Daily Record) in the summer came out that the Dons are set to demand £10m for their 21-year-old centre back. If the Hoops want to secure a formidable long-term defender, then we believe the club should make him their costliest signing of all time.
In hindsight, the money might look a lot, but the dynamics of football (From a financial point of view) has changed in the past two seasons. With English clubs like Wolves and Aston Villa in the mix (The Sun), Celtic cannot afford to be lackadaisical in their approach for McKenna in January.
The defender has all the required traits that are necessary in a top centre-half. He is strong in the air, reads the situation well, is calm and composed on the ball and often shows leadership qualities on the pitch. Not too long ago, Liverpool were questioned for spending over £70m on Virgil Van Dijk. But within a year, the former Celtic defender has transformed his side’s backline, and they currently have the best defence in the English top flight.
Celtic are also in a similar situation as the money involved is making a lot of noise. But 2-3 years down the line, spending £10m on McKenna in January 2019 would look like a smart piece of business for the Hoops. Given that he is 21, the club can even go on to sell him for a higher amount in the future. Virgil Van Dijk is an excellent example of this tactic and there is no reason why Celtic should not wrap up the signing of McKenna in January.
