Celtic’s interest in Scott McKenna couldn’t be stronger, if reports in Croatia are to be believed.
The Scotland defender has enjoyed a stellar debut season with Dinamo Zagreb, winning the Croatian league title as a mainstay in their backline.
Celtic were reportedly among ‘enquiries’ for McKenna in January, but no move materialised. Their interest doesn’t seem to have wavered.
Despite the lack of certainty over who their manager will be next season, Celtic look to be doing extensive work on the 29-year-old.
How does this rumour sound to you?
Celtic ‘seriously interested’ in Scott McKenna
According to Jutarnji, it is ‘clear’ that Celtic are ‘stuck’ with McKenna, and “want him in their ranks this summer”.
The report says that the link has “serious foundations”, and that the club have sent scouts to watch him on four recent occasions.
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McKenna went off injured in Dinamo’s 2-1 win at Gorica on Saturday. The club are hoping to have him back for their cup final against Rijeka next Wednesday.
He has previously been valued at £10 million, though the player himself has clarified these reports as “lost in translation”.
Dinamo have already completed the signings of two defenders ahead of the summer (must be nice). This makes the sale of McKenna a real possibility.
Celtic have been linked with him before, on numerous occasions. They were first linked during Brendan Rodgers’ first spell, after the defender’s breakthrough season at Aberdeen.
Five years later, with McKenna at Nottingham Forest, Rodgers was linked with bringing him to Glasgow again.
Having dropped out of Forest’s starting XI amid their post-promotion spending spree, he moved on loan to Copenhagen in 2024, featuring in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
This earned him the move to La Liga, where he played with ex-Scotland teammate Oli McBurnie but only lasted a year. He is now staking a claim to add to his 49 Scotland caps at this summer’s World Cup.
How would your Celtic defence look next season?
Scott McKenna on being a Celtic supporter
McKenna said on his boyhood allegiance in 2024: “My dad was a Celtic season-ticket holder.
“I went to a few Celtic games around the time when they were doing well in Europe. I remember being there when Alan Thompson scored [against] Barcelona.
“I used to love going to a midweek game at Parkhead under the lights.”
By the sound of it, he certainly wouldn’t be against a move to Glasgow.
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