Wigan reject bids for two reported Celtic transfer targets

By Euan Davidson

January 23, 2021

Reported Celtic transfer targets Kyle Joseph and Sean McGurk are hot property.

Both youngsters have been the subject of bids, according to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph. On Twitter, the reliable reporter wasn’t naming names in terms of clubs. However, he did say that Wigan had rejected offers from teams within English football.

Kyle Joseph has piqued the interest of a number of top clubs, according  to The Athletic’s Matt Slater. Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic, Rangers and Sheffield United have all reportedly watched the Scotland youth international with interest.

Joseph broke into the public consciousness with a hat-trick against Burton Albion at the end of December [BBC].

McGurk, meanwhile, is a striker who has attracted interest from the likes of Leeds United as well as Celtic. The prodigious young talent “has scored 25 goals in 31 starts for Wigan’s Under-18s side in the last 18 months” [Yorkshire Evening Post].

You simply love to see it: Celtic target McGurk winds up Red Devils / (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Celtic should make transfer bid before it’s too late

With Celtic going through a sustained grim period, a bit of transfer excitement is due for supporters.

The club have missed out on a number of exciting talents. Mark McKenzie, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Alfie Doughty have all signed elsewhere. Ex-Bhoys defender Filip Benkovic looked close to signing, before he joined Leicester City affiliate OH Leuven [LCFC].

Joseph and McGurk both play for Wigan Athletic, a club who need to sell players on to remain afloat. The club’s rapid descent into financial meltdown has been a sad story, and fans are rightly angry [Manchester Evening News].

Therefore, it’s incredibly likely that two of Wigan’s exciting academy products will move on. Celtic should really take advantage of the situation, as rough as it is to say.

In terms of character, Celtic fans will enjoy the story of Sean McGurk. In a move reminiscent of Leigh Griffiths’ on field cheekiness, McGurk held up a “six times” gesture with his hands [Liverpool Echo] while playing at Old Trafford in the FA Youth Cup. It was a reference to his boyhood heroes Liverpool, and their 6 European Cup wins.

The Bhoys need to get moving if they want to secure top youth talent from south of the border. Wigan, unfortunately, need to move on their homegrown talent. Celtic could do much, much worse than to be active here.

Meanwhile, a former Celtic captain has had his say on the club’s critics.