Report: Celtic have a tempting January offer on the table

By David Walton

January 14, 2021

Celtic have a tempting offer on the table to cut their losses with centre-back Shane Duffy, the Scottish Sun reports.

According to the Sun, Championship outfit Nottingham Forest have made an approach to Brighton for the defender. This comes after a torrid first half of the season at Parkhead that couldn’t have been more disastrous.

The Ireland veteran has made 19 appearances this season for the Hoops (Transfermarkt). Barely any of them have been successful ones as he’s gone from one disaster to another in Glasgow.

However, the Sun also states that the move would involve Celtic taking a financial hit. They state that Duffy’s loan move cost the club a seven-figure fee on top of his mammoth wages.

Duffy last played in Celtic’s 1-1 draw against Hibernian on Monday night. He’ll likely be used in the upcoming double-header against Livingston too given the circumstances surrounding the club at the moment.

Tempting January offer can only be considered when replacement is lined up

It’s tempting at face value. Getting Duffy back down to England and moving on from this horrendous loan spell? I think that’s a decision that all parties could do with to be honest.

For one reason or another, his poor form has blown up in Scotland. Expected to dominate the vast majority of Scottish football frontlines, Duffy’ been run ragged by many of them.

However, in saying all of that, Celtic actually still need him at the moment. The Hibernian performance was actually one of his better games, even if he came in for stick for their equaliser. The Hoops don’t have many defensive options over the next week either as 16 players and staff are self-isolating.

Celtic defender Shane Duffy / (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group via Getty Images)

To allow Duffy to go now could see us come up against Livingston with no alternative. Stephen Welsh has already had to be drafted in as a last resort. The last thing Celtic will want is to add to their misery with any more slip-ups over the next week.

Duffy, meanwhile, could do with building on the Hibs display. He hasn’t once been able to string any kind of decent form together during his loan spell. It would be interesting to see how he fares if he can do that.

But it would hardly surprise you if this loan ended prematurely after the Livingston games. For many, his time will have run out.

In other news, Jackie McNamara has exclusively told 67HH that it’s time to move on and build for the future.