If reports are to be believed then Celtic have accepted defeat in their task of retaining star midfielder Stuart Armstrong as his list of potential suitors grow strong. Among Premier League sides, Southampton have shown huge interest in the player and Celtic have slapped an amount of £10million on the player.
The South Coast club could face immense competition from domestic rivals West Bromwich Albion as the Baggies look for quality replacements for their former skipper Daren Fletcher. The Scottish midfielder has caught the attention of numerous clubs with his disciplined displays in Celtic’s invincible season. His performances have also earned him a nomination for PFA Scotland Player of the Year award, which has automatically hiked his asking rate.
However, Southampton would have no problems paying the fee Celtic are demanding and the 25-year-old is seen as a perfect fit alongside Steven Davies and Dusan Tadic in their midfield. The Saints have appointed new manager Mauricio Pellegrino following the controversial sacking of Claude Puel at the end of the season.
The French manager had delivered them a ninth-place finish last season and also an EFL Cup runner-up medal and that wasn’t enough. Pellegrino has wasted no time in getting down to business and given his positive outputs from his scouts regarding Armstrong, he is expected to make a move soon. Brendan Rodgers has been unwilling to let go of the midfielder and had even offered him a new contract ahead of the Champions League qualifiers later this month.
And it is undeniable that Celtic would find it terribly difficult to replace the 25-year-old, who has scored a whopping 15 goals and seven assists. Now, with Celtic still to go through three rounds of qualifying matches to qualify for the Champions League, the manager would need his services more than ever.
But, even for the Scottish giants, competing with English clubs financially is an uphill task. The only way this wouldn’t happen is if the player refuses to move. Although the player had even earlier stated his desire to stay at Celtic Park in the foreseeable future, the lure of Premier League is difficult to resist.
And Southampton’s consistent displays at the top half of the table makes it all the more difficult. Armstrong is approaching the final year of his contract with the Hoops and Celtic are likely to cash in on him this summer itself. In his three seasons with Celtic since arriving in 2014, he has played over 100 games, scoring 23 goals and assisting 19 times.
