Celtic eyeing Premier League outcast wanted by Rodgers in…

Celtic eyeing Premier League outcast wanted by Rodgers in 2018

Rodgers first tried to bring him to Parkhead in 2018.

Celtic are hoping to lure Scottish centre-back Scott McKenna to Parkhead as Brendan Rodgers seeks to bolster his defence this January.

In the Scottish Premiership, Celtic’s defensive record is strong. The Hoops, eight points clear at the top of the table, have only let in 15 in their first 22 matches.

The only team to have conceded fewer is their Old Firm rivals, who also have two games in hand.

However, against stronger opposition in the Champions League, Brendan Rodgers’ side have looked more exposed. Across their six matches, Celtic conceded 15 times, and that was a big part of the reason why they finished bottom of their group and exited Europe altogether heading into the new year.

Only Belgian side Antwerp (17) conceded more in that phase, and so it’s not particularly surprising that the club are seemingly intent on bolstering their backline in January.

McKenna emerges as Celtic target

According to Sky Sports, both Celtic and arch-rivals Rangers are interested in Scott McKenna of Nottingham Forest. Forest have made him available for transfer this month, paving the way for a battle between the Old Firm clubs.

There’s a possibility that McKenna could move north of the border on loan first, and then join his new club on a permanent deal come the summer when his Forest contract expires.

McKenna started Forest’s first five Premier League games this season, but hasn’t featured at all since. In December, the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel revealed that the club had banished him from first-team training ahead of an anticipated January exit.

Even the sacking of Steve Cooper and the arrival of Nuno Espirito Santo as his replacement has failed to bring about an improvement in his situation.

Rodgers could get his man from 2018

It’s a surprise to see McKenna treated this way. Signed in 2020 from Aberdeen, he’s played 105 games for Forest, nearly half of which (51) came in 2021/22 as they achieved promotion back to the English top flight. The centre-back was instrumental in that achievement, winning man of the match when they beat Huddersfield in the play-off final (Sky Football).

He remained an important figure last season as Forest prolonged their return, starting 20 of the 25 games for which he was available, but now he’s been completely frozen out.

Celtic want to sign Lawrence Shankland ahead of four Premier League sides

He’ll be a familiar name for Celtic fans given his time with Aberdeen and his international career with Scotland, which now spans 30 caps (including one at the last European Championship).

Manager Rodgers will certainly be familiar too, having made an attempt to bring him to Parkhead during his first stint as Celtic boss in 2018.

According to Football Scotland, Aberdeen rejected an initial £3.5m bid, and then Celtic refused to return with a better offer.

Two years later, when he got his move to England, they may have thought that the ship had sailed, but with McKenna still of a decent footballing age at 27, Rodgers could finally get his man.

If it is to be an initial loan, then it could come down to which Glaswegian club is willing to pay a greater share of his Forest wages, and which offers him a more significant role in the squad.

Video: Celtic loanee scores cracker for Dunfermline at Hampden

Celtic winger Ben Summers scored a cracking goal for Dunfermline last night. The 19-year-old joined the Fife side on a season-long loan to get first team football under James McPake and if he keeps scoring goals like this, he’ll get on Brendan’s radar.

Queen’s Park 2-1 Dunfermline

🗣️ “It’s a cracker, an absolute beauty, from Ben Summers.”

⚽️ Out of nothing Dunfermline are back in the match.

📺 Watch on the BBC Scotlang channel pic.twitter.com/fpyg0LTKuD

— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) January 5, 2024

Since moving to East End Park, Summers has made 11 appearances, scoring twice and assisting twice. The Championship is a better route for young players as opposed to the B Team in the Lowland League.

Born just as Celtic were stopping the Ten, Lubo98 follows Celtic home and away and helps run his local Celtic Supporters Club. He goes to all the games and is a Law Graduate. Has a particular fondness for Tom Rogic among the current Celts and both Lubo and Henrik form his earliest Celtic memories.

‘Fantastic’ Liverpool player has turned down the chance to join Celtic in January

Brendan Rodgers’s Celtic are interested in signing Owen Beck from Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the January transfer window.

That is according to The Athletic, which has suggested Beck’s stance on a potential move to Celtic Park.

So, what has been reported about Celtic, Liverpool and Owen Beck? Let’s take a look.

Celtic linked with Liverpool left-back Owen Beck

Well, according to The Athletic, Celtic are among the clubs who are interested in signing Owen Beck from Liverpool in the January transfer window.

The report has claimed that Celtic, who won the Scottish Premiership title last season and are managed by former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, have been keen on a permanent deal for Beck.

The 21-year-old left-back spent the first half of the season on loan at Dundee from Liverpool. He is now back at his parent club.

The Athletic has noted that Celtic want(ed) to sign the youngster to “upgrade their competition at left-back”, but Beck “would have faced a fight to play so they were ruled out”.

MORE CELTIC STORIES

Liverpool FC recall Beck
Dundee Football Club can confirm that Liverpool have recalled Owen Beck and his loan with Dundee has ended.
Owen signed on loan for Dundee in the summer and quickly became an important player for The Dee putting in fantastic performances.
His great… pic.twitter.com/xU7pEYzchH

— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) January 1, 2024

View Tweet

Beck did well during his spell at Dundee, who have described his performances as “fantastic” and admitted that he “will be greatly missed”.

The Athletic has reported that Rangers manager Philippe Clement personally want(ed) to sign the left-back in the January transfer window.

Coventry City, Stoke City, Millwall and Hull City all have made enquires about a loan deal for Beck, but Liverpool have decided that he will be part of manager Jurgen Klopp’s first-team squad due to injuries to Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson. He is rated highly by Klopp.

My View: Future bright for Owen Beck

In my opinion, the future of Owen Beck is bright. That he is going to play for the Liverpool first team in the second half of the season shows how good he is.

Beck did well during his loan spell at Dundee. The left-back made 17 appearances in the Scottish Premiership. He scored two goals and gave two assists in those games.

Celtic and Rangers are massive clubs and interest from them in Beck underlines how highly he is rated in the footballing community.