According to a recent exclusive report by the Daily Record, Motherwell defender Declan Gallagher is said to be attempting to force a move to Celtic at the end of the season, with the 29-year-old finding himself in quite a pickle at his current club. The report suggests that the defender’s current contract at Motherwell ends as soon as the 20/21 Premiership campaign draws to a close, but a special clause in his deal could scupper his hopes of a big move away. It has been claimed that the defender playing 25 games this season would trigger a one-year extension, which would essentially end his hopes of a transfer elsewhere.
Although the report has clarified that Declan Gallagher is trying to force a move to Lennon’s Celtic, whether or not it all pans out for him, in the end, remains to be seen. It has been suggested that the Scottish international centre-half is on the radar of several clubs from the country, including the Scottish champions.
The other teams who are in for his signature are Aberdeen, Hibernian and England’s Blackburn Rovers, with all the involved parties seemingly keeping a keen eye on his situation at Motherwell. The player and his family are all said to be staunch Celtic supporters, and considering that he was once a part of the Parkhead youth setup, his desire to return there is only understandable.
What Is Celtic’s Current Defensive Situation?
The Parkhead club have been far from comfortable in defence since the start of the season, and a lot of this has been down to the lack of quality being displayed by some of their more experienced players. Promising Norwegian centre-half Kristoffer Ajer has been the lone shining light in a shady Celtic defence-line this season, and expecting a young player like that to deliver the goods week-in week-out is asking for trouble. Christopher Jullien is another one of the options, but with the Frenchman seemingly constantly injured, Neil Lennon has found the going to be extremely difficult.
The other player who has been utilised at centre-half quite a bit this season is Nir Bitton. Despite being a holding midfielder by position, their situation has forced Neil Lennon to deploy the Israel international as a centre-half, often seen partnering the likes of Ajer and Jullien. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the season for Celtic has been Shane Duffy. The Irish international defender arrived from Brighton on a load deal amid much fanfare from the Celtic faithful. Despite showing a few positive signs at the start, it’s safe to say that the Premier League defender’s time in Glasgow has been nothing short of a disaster.
Declan Gallagher Is Trying To Force A Move To Lennon’s Celtic: Smart Move For The Hoops?
Whether or not Jullien can achieve some level of consistency in terms of fitness over the next couple of seasons is the biggest question, as Duffy is surely going to return to Brighton at the end of the season. Ajer, considering how good he’s been, might not be a Celtic player for too long either.
With that in mind, it would be silly from a Celtic perspective for them to pass up on the opportunity to sign an experienced Premiership defender. Gallagher is 29 now, which means that he’s got the quality as well as understanding of the game required to perform at this level. Taking Celtic’s defensive woes into account, this is a move that would make complete sense for the Hoops.
