Celtic held talks to sign Manchester United’s Shea Lacey in January, it has now been reported.
The majority of the Hoops’ six signings in the winter window struggled to make an impact… so at least five of them were only on loan.
The sackings of Wilfried Nancy and Paul Tisdale at the beginning of the month threw the club’s January plans up in the air.
And in the late scramble for signings, Lacey has been revealed to have been one of their targets.
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Celtic’s move for Man Utd winger Shea Lacey scuppered by injury
According to Academy Scoop on X, Celtic were keen on signing Lacey on a six-month deal in January and held talks to explore a move.
Marseille are also mentioned as an interested party.
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The move was reportedly complicated by an injury suffered by the teenager at the time, after he had appeared in United’s senior team shortly before the window.
A left-footed right-winger, Lacey made his Premier League debut in a game against Aston Villa in December, whilst Ruben Amorim was still in charge of the club.
His first-team momentum took a hit when he was sent off in his first senior appearance at Old Trafford against Brighton in January; he has since returned to the U21 side, where he has ten goals in eleven starts this season.
Regarded one of the most exciting players in the club’s youth sides, he will possibly leave the Red Devils on loan for next season.
As for Celtic’s wide search, players such as Fares Ghedjemis, Damir Redzic and Nacho Laquintana were linked before Joel Mvuka ended up being the chosen man.
The less said about that signing, the better.
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Perhaps the most damning thing to say about the move is that the best part of it may well be his failed medical, which forced Celtic to renegotiate what was initially a permanent deal worth £3 million.
Mvuka was thrown straight into the starting XI for his Celtic debut against Dundee, but was hooked at half-time after a disappointing showing.
Martin O’Neill ruthlessly then left him out of the matchday squad for the team’s next four games before reintroducing him for Celtic’s Scottish Cup win at Ibrox, when Neil Lennon voiced serious concerns over the 23-year-old’s cameo.
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