Celtic are now pushing to sign a new defender this January, however there are question marks over whether he is a necessary signing for Brendan Rodgers.
Celtic set to splash the cash in January
Although they are top of the Scottish Premiership and have already secured one domestic trophy this season, Celtic are keen to strengthen this January, having identified targets in a number of different positions.
Ajax central midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic is said to be on the radar, having made it clear he wants to leave the Eredivisie side, with summer target Mahamadou Diawara also being considered in the same area of the pitch.
With Luis Palma now considering his future at Parkhead, Rodgers is keen to bring in a new winger, and the Hoops have also set their sights on Brondby attacker Mathias Kvistgaarden, who would be interested in a move away.
Rodgers is keen to strengthen his squad this January, in order to make sure his squads competes on all fronts this season.
Celtic pushing to sign Jonjoe Kenny
Celtic are now pushing to sign Hertha BSC’s Jonjoe Kenny according to Pete O’Rourke. The defender will be a familiar face, having spent a few months on loan at Parkhead back in 2021.
O’Rourke says Kenny’s previous spell at Celtic Park is considered a ‘disaster’, while Rodgers already has Alistair Johnson and Anthony Ralston to choose from at right-back, casting doubt over whether it would be a necessary signing.
Strengthening other areas of the pitch is likely to be more of a priority for Rodgers this winter, and the report questions why the board are seemingly pushing for a signing which is both unlikely and not massively beneficial.
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As mentioned in the report, the Englishman’s previous spell in Glasgow did not go exactly to plan, and he has since described his time with the Scottish champions as a “difficult period”. However, Hertha’s financial woes mean they may be willing to sell the 27-year-old for a fee of just £2m, so he would be a low-cost addition to the squad for Rodgers.
Furthermore, the former Everton man has found his feet again during his time with Hertha, albeit in the second tier of German football, ranking among their best-performing players in the league so far this season.
Over the past year, the full-back ranks in the 97th percentile for assists per 90, when compared to his positional peers, and the 88th percentile for clearances, highlighting his ability in both boxes.
That said, Kenny was less than impressive during his previous spell with Celtic, meaning he is unlikely to be a signing that wins over the fans, and Rodgers already has plenty of options to choose from at right-back.