Former Premier League star opens up on two Celtic attempts to sign him

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Billy Sharp has revealed he twice turned down a move to Celtic when Neil Lennon was in charge over two spells.

Former Sheffield United striker Sharp, who scored 129 goals in 377 appearances for his boyhood club, revealed that Celtic attempted to sign him during the 2020/21 season. The Hoops were also previously linked with Sharp back in 2013 while he was at a music festival in Scotland.

Sharp would undoubtedly have been a short term signing for Celtic in 2020 if he signed having been 34 years old at the time. Throughout his career, he has consistently scored goals, including this season in the MLS for LA Galaxy, where he scored six goals in 12 appearances before recently leaving the club at the end of the season. However, there would have been questions over whether he would have been able to displace Odsonne Edouard at the time.

Sharp is currently without a club, despite a successful spell in America lasting three months. He is on the hunt for his next move, with previous attempts to join Celtic failing to be agreed with the Englishman over the past decade.

Sharp said: [No Tippy Tappy Football], “Neil Lennon was ringing me quite a lot, I was at T in the Park once, flying back and I opened up the back page of the ‘paper. It said: ‘Sharp is a ‘Tic’ and I was like: ‘Wow, I didn’t know it was that close.’ I could have signed then but then the next time was in Covid. I was in the Premier League with Sheffield United and I spoke to Chris [Wilder, then-United boss] about it.

“The big thing for me going to Celtic would be the Celtic-Rangers game and whatever would be fans again, a great stadium, unbelievable club – but there were no fans and I was leaving Sheffield United.

“He [Lennon] was ringing me while I was in London. Maybe that’s the one that I should have probably gone. But I think my heart took over again with Sheffield United, the loyalty to Sheffield United – paid the price! Celtic was probably the one that people probably don’t know about.

“I think that that one’s gone now but if they’re interested, I’m here. I’m ready. And they’ve got fans back in the stadium!”

Sharp’s comments highlight that he would certainly move to Celtic now if given the chance, but at 37 years old, he does not appear to fit the age bracket in which the Hoops recruit players. However, unlikely moves like Sharp’s have happened, with Aaron Mooy joining the club last summer at 32 years old before winning the domestic treble and retiring at the end of the last season.

Sharp’s move to Celtic may appear to be the one that got away for the Englishman but it is clear that he has had an impressive career with twice helping Sheffield United get promoted to the English Premier League showing his loyalty to his boyhood club where he was able to break through as a youngster.