With Dedryck Boyata and Filip Benkovic more or less certain to depart from the club in the summer, Celtic will have to dive into the transfer market to sign at least two centre backs. Therefore we expect a lot of defenders to be linked with a move to Parkhead from now until the end of the summer transfer window. Liam Lindsay is the latest player who is drawing attention (Daily Star) from the Hoops.
Lindsay is currently plying his trade for League One outfit Barnsley, a team currently occupying the second spot on the table, and are vying for the direct promotion spots. The Tykes signed the defender in the summer of 2017 from Scottish club Patrick Thistle for £350,000.
However, currently, the defender is being valued at £5m, after his impressive performances this season where he has helped his side fight for the promotion spots.
Apart from Celtic, Premier League club like Brighton are also said to be in the mix and Championship high flyers Leeds United and Aston Villa are also chasing this centre half. Therefore Celtic aren’t going to find it easy to lure him to Parkhead.
The 23-year-old is being rated as the best defender to come out of Patrick Thistle’s academy after Liverpool legend Alan Hansen. The defender has almost seen a meteoric rise in the last two years as he is being chased by top-flight clubs.
The defender is strong in the air as he stands in at 6ft3 inches. Lindsay showcases great positioning sense, and the defender can sniff out danger before it can develop further. He is more than committed in his challenges, and he should be able to handle himself in the Scottish Premiership. One area where the centre back still needs improvement on is his ball-playing abilities. The Scotsman is slightly in the mould of the classic ‘no-nonsense’ defender who doesn’t like to dwell much on the ball before hoofing it up the pitch.
Nevertheless, he can still be a decent bet for his overall abilities, and Celtic should look to make an offer for him in the summer. The fact that they can offer the defender a chance to play in Elite European competition might give them an edge over their other rivals who are also interested in this defender. Lindsay can take his game to the next level in the next few years, and he can be a real dominant force to reckon with in the future.
