Everton right-back Jonjoe Kenny looks all but set to seal a loan switch to Celtic today.
There are a host of reports over the last 12 hours stating that this is just about a done deal. The Daily Mail even believes that the player has already signed.
It solves a major squad gap for Neil Lennon after the departure of Jeremie Frimpong. However, the picky among us will notice that it’s yet another loan deal being secured.
Celtic already have Shane Duffy, Diego Laxalt, and Moi Elyounoussi here temporarily. A fourth could irritate many who want to see the Hoops bring their own players in for keeps.
But that looked extremely difficult with regards to Kenny. That’s because Everton reportedly wanted £10million for his permanent signature in the current window [Daily Mirror].
Indeed, this is something that Burnley, reported rivals for Kenny’s signature, didn’t want to pay. With the player’s contract up in the summer of 2022, Everton would likely have to sell in a cut-price deal this summer or risk losing him for nothing.
Everton will need to lower their valuation of Jonjoe Kenny
That’s something that would surely upset the Toffees. Especially given he came through the Goodison youth ranks and had a productive spell with Schalke last season. They would likely have wanted him to be sold, and the Mirror states that a straight cash option was their preferred avenue during the January window.
It’s unclear whether Celtic will pay a loan fee for Kenny should this be confirmed. But it clears up exactly why the Hoops couldn’t bring him to Parkhead permanently.
We would all agree that an eight-figure sum would be a touch expensive for a Frimpong replacement. Half of that would be more like it given Celtic’s signing history and financial environment.
It perhaps says a lot that Kenny even costs this much in any case. It shows just how inflated the English market is. We’re talking about a player who’s managed 80 minutes of football all season [Transfermarkt]. He clearly isn’t in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans. £10m still comes across as a bit steep.
If Kenny is a success in the next five months or so, this is something we can revisit. It’s unlikely Everton will command such a high valuation in the summer given the player’s contract situation. If it’s a deal that suits all parties for next season, something should be able to be worked out.
But for now, this looks like a fine acquisition as we await official confirmation from the club on deadline day.
In other news, Frimpong has been given a reality check by a Bundesliga-winning manager.
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