As Celtic look back on the summer transfer window with satisfaction this year, there is one saga that’s still to fully end.
When Celtic failed to land Alfie Doughty during the summer despite several offers, it wasn’t really something that frustrated the support. Considering Diego Laxalt was brought in on loan from AC Milan, we got the cover we needed down the left side.
But even so, the Glasgow Times reported on deadline day last week that the Hoops were likely to offer a pre-contract to the player in January.
And that’s why the next two days are so vital to those pre-contract hopes.
The EFL window remains open. This means that clubs all up and down England’s lower leagues can continue to do business until October 16th at 5pm. It also means that clubs from England’s top tier can continue to buy from the EFL too. West Ham snapping up Craig Dawson from Watford is a prime example.
Doughty’s Charlton fall into that category. That means that whilst Celtic are powerless to sign him given the international window has closed, there’s still a chance he could leave the Valley before the end of the week.
Doughty’s future still up in the air
The Herald reported back in September that Luton Town had seen an offer rejected for Doughty this summer also. Luton are one of the clubs who could still sign him before the EFL window closes.
And even Charlton boss Lee Bowyer backed up that it wasn’t just Celtic who had made a formal offer in recent weeks. Speaking to London News Online back on October 5th, Bowyer said: “There is a club that is interested in this country as well. And it works the same way – what are they prepared to pay? If it’s right we’ll consider it. But we don’t want to sell Alfie, of course we don’t. In an ideal world Alfie signs the contract and keeps progressing.”
So whoever that interested club is, there’s still time for them to come in and nab Doughty with a higher offer.
Celtic, of course, will be monitoring developments closely despite not being able to do anything about them. That is, after all, the risk we’ve taken in deciding not to bid higher in our pursuit of him.
We’ll see how things go before Friday, but as things stand there remains no guarantee that Doughty will even be a Charlton player come January.
In other news, a reported Celtic target who the Hoops were told would only be sold permanently is now available on loan.
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