Kieran Tierney has returned to Celtic from Scotland on fitness grounds, as questions over his fitness continue to swirl.
Brendan Rodgers’ marquee left-back signing has barely completed 90 minutes since making his return to Celtic Park, having been a bit-part player during his later years at Arsenal.
This created a necessity for another arrival in this position, which has arrived in the form of Marcelo Saracchi – but this is only a loan transfer from Boca Juniors, with no reported option to buy.
The Uruguay international, who has also played for the likes of River Plate, Galatasaray and RB Leipzig, arrives with the jury very much still out, having not played a lot of football in recent years.
After replacing Tierney in the Scotland setup, however, one Scottish left back could be an ideal target for Celtic, having excelled at home and abroad.
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Could Josh Doig be Celtic’s ideal Kieran Tierney competition?
Earlier this summer, 67 Hail Hail’s transfer expert Graeme Bailey reported that Josh Doig was on Celtic’s radar and keen to work with Brendan Rodgers.
The left-back has just entered his third season playing with Italian side Sassuolo, having joined the club from Hellas Verona in January 2024.
He first made the move to Italy in July 2022, with Hellas offering Doig a chance to play abroad after he made his breakthrough at Hibernian and became a nailed-on starter.
The powerful defender was indispensable at Easter Road, despite initially being in the academy across the city at Hearts. He also spent time on loan at Queens’ Park, similarly to Scotland teammate and Celtic man Anthony Ralston.
It initially appeared that Doig’s switch to Sassuolo had backfired when the Neroverdi were relegated just six months after his signing, but given the playing time he had in last season’s promotion-winning Serie B campaign, this could have been a blessing in disguise.
After making his senior Scotland debut in the summer, he is set for another opportunity at full international level.
Doig could help Celtic move on from Taylor
The departure of Greg Taylor split opinion among Celtic fans in the summer, but both Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou saw him as a key member of their respective Hoops squads.
Should Tierney continue to struggle with the load of a first-choice left back, Doig would offer a solid long-term option in Celtic’s back four, potentially well beyond Rodgers’ spell.
The 23-year-old has started both of his side’s matches since their return to Serie A, against Cremonese and Napoli, so likely wouldn’t come cheap.
But the Parkhead boss himself has claimed that the club’s board are not unwilling to invest – so a signing of Doig could be a perfect statement of intent to actually back up that claim.
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