Celtic fans react to potential Tommy Smith deal

By David Walton

July 8, 2019

The proposed Tommy Smith deal to Celtic has been met with a mixed but generally positive reponse from Hoops fans.

Celtic are reportedly in Austria to close a deal for the right-back (Henry Armstrong, Daily Mirror). The figure being branded about appears to be £3million (Daily Record), but as of yet there’s been no confirmation of a deal being completed at the moment.

The Tommy Smith to Celtic speculation is heating up (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

What it would represent is work being done on Celtic’s number one problem position. After losing three right-backs over the summer, Celtic have incredibly yet to replace them. We still only have Anthony Ralston available, and he looks like featuring in the Champions League qualifier against Sarajevo tomorrow.

But the arrival of Smith will add some vital competition to the position. And, reacting on social media, Celtic fans have been voicing their own views on it.

https://twitter.com/KrissFlynn/status/1148129623856832513

Tommy Smith deal can’t be criticised at face value

So many of the Celtic fans on social media are spot on here. The deal can’t be criticised before we’ve even seen him play in green-and-white. If he was trusted enough to be Huddersfield’s captain for nearly two years in the Premier League, he must be reliable.

Only after he arrives and if he performs to a poor standard can we start questioning things. At face value, however, this is a good deal for us and the kind of player that could prove a success in Scotland.

Smith will be expected to attack in Scotland (Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

But most importantly, it solves that key right-back spot ahead of the second Champions League qualifier. Sure, we probably need two in before the window closes. But if we get one in before we face Nomme Kalju/Shkendija in the second qualifying round, that’s a big positive for us.

Smith has 39 Premier League appearances to his name. You don’t often get that many if you don’t have something about you. He only managed one assist during those two seasons in England’s top flight. He’ll be expected to increase that tally given Neil Lennon likes his full-backs to go on the overlap.

Anthony Ralston is the only current right-back at Parkhead (Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

And if it gets concluded, it’s also further proof that Peter Lawwell and Dermot Desmond are looking to invest in the squad this season.

With a bit of luck, this gets over the line soon. It’s perhaps the most important deal we’ll make all summer given the current right-back situation. At the very least, it’s a time for optimism over pessimism as we get set to start our competitive games.