Plenty of high-profile individuals have plied their trade at Celtic over the years, and there have also been numerous examples of near misses for the Bhoys in the transfer market.
From Rivaldo to Seamus Coleman and Olivier Giroud, to name a few, the reigning Scottish Premiership champions have never had a problem vying with the elite for talented players.
However, some slip through the net despite the potential for silverware and participation in the Champions League that the Bhoys can provide.
Circumstances often dictate the possibility of interest converting into something more. Nevertheless, who wouldn’t want the chance to play in front of 60,000 at Celtic Park? Even if there is a tad of bias thrown in there from a personal standpoint.
Either way, it’s always intriguing to hear about Celtic’s near-misses on the transfer front, seeing as the club has the ability to attract an elevated calibre of player, so here is another example you might have missed.
Troy Deeney on how close he came to joining Celtic
Speaking on Under The Cosh, former Watford striker Troy Deeney revealed he had an opportunity to join Celtic in 2021, which synchronises with reports on his future at the time before he completed a move to Birmingham City.
Addressing why a move to Glasgow never came to fruition as he opted to leave Watford for St Andrews instead, he explained: “No. Do you know what? If I’m being honest, I had two offers to go abroad and three offers to go abroad that were quite lucrative.
“I had an offer to go to Middlesbrough with Neil Warnock, and then Celtic came in for me as well. And I was like, that’s mint, but miles away. Again, now I’m getting to the point of 34, being around the kids.
“Oldest boy, he finishes this year, so he’s at that point where he needs me, becoming a man now. The girls need me. Like, no, I’m not moving.
“So, put it into perspective, those teams I’ve just mentioned offered me nearly 40K a week to go there. Ended up signing up Blues for 12 grand a week. But I was home.”
Troy Deeney would’ve earned high wages at Celtic
If his claim about the offer from Celtic is truthful, Deeney would’ve came in as a high-earner in the twilight of his career after shining in the Premier League for several years.
Regardless, it wasn’t to be for the veteran striker. The Bhoys acted to bring in Giorgios Giakoumakis instead, so it is fair to say the scenario in question worked out for everyone.
The Greek striker registered 26 goals in 57 appearances before securing a £4.3 million move to Atalanta United in early 2023, but it could’ve been different if circumstances had unfolded in an alternative fashion.
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