According to the report from the Express (19 February, page 47), Rangers and Celtic are set to battle it out for 19-year-old centre-back John Mahon. The report also adds that the defender would prefer a move to Celtic Park over Rangers at the moment. Championship outfits Blackburn Rovers and Derby County are also keeping track of this talented defender.
The youngster currently plies his trade for Sligo Rovers in the Irish league, and he is considered one of the hottest talents in the division. The defender was fast-tracked quickly in the senior side after he impressed at the u-17 level and Mahon made his senior team debut in 2017.
Rangers might have to show a bit more urgency if they want to land this defender as Celtic are probably the favourites to beat him at the moment. The Bears have four decent centre-halves in the form of Nikola Katic, Joe Worrall, Gareth McAuley and Connor Goldson. However, McAuley and Worrall joined the club on a short term basis, and both of their contracts are expiring at the end of the season.
Therefore we would expect Steven Gerrard to eye a centre half or two in the upcoming summer transfer window, and Mahon seems to be on the radar of the club. Rangers have challenged Celtic well for the most parts this season but it is clear that the Hoops are firm favourites to retain their title once again after Rangers struggled to get favourable results after the winter break.
Mahon has his contract with Sligo Rovers until 2020, but a move to Scotland’s top division or the English Championship should excite the youngster. Celtic are likely to come in hard for the defender if they fancy him as they themselves are going to lose the likes of Dedryck Boyata and Filip Benkovic in the summer. Therefore with Celtic’s spending power, we don’t see Rangers winning this transfer battle over the Bhoys.
The 19-year-old stands at 6ft1inch and is known to be mature beyond his age. The defender reads the situation well and is strong and committed in his challenges, whether it is aerial or on the ground. Rangers have definitely closed the gap on Celtic since Steven Gerrard took over, but the manager is still some way short of challenging for the title.
The upcoming summer window is going to be a crucial one for the Light Blues and a talent like Mahon will be a top addition at the Ibrox. However, Celtic remain the favourites to sign him and Rangers should keep other targets lined up if they fail to land the Irish defender in the summer.
