6 Carl Starfelt replacement options for Celtic as Scott McKenna rumours run wild and Ange disciple emerges
The Hoops are going to be looking for a new defender shortly as the Swede heads to Spain.
There's going to be a new defender coming in the door but just who will Brendan Rodgers look to for his defensive Celtic plans?
The Irishman confirmed after Saturday's 4-2 Premiership win over Ross County that Carl Starfelt is on his way out of the champions squad, two years after his switch to Scotland from Rubin Kazan. Celta Vigo in Spain is his likely destination and while confirmation is still to arrive, Rodgers has already said that he will be dipping back into the market for some defensive reinforcement.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Maik Nawrocki started on matchday one, with Stephen Welsh and Yuki Kobayashi currently serving as deputies amid uncertainty over Liam Scales' future. There's still plenty of time before the Deadline Day madness on September 1st but already fans are casting their eye to who could come next. We run the rule over six potential candidates that Rodgers may consider.
Scott McKenna
It's a well-known name and some have been left convinced he is a target. Fans have been debating whether or not the Nottingham Forest defender is one target, amid rumour mill suggestions he is one Celtic are looking at. A boyhood fan of the club, the Scotland international had Hoops interest in 2019 as a public saga played out. Eventually he made his move away from Aberdeen to the English Championship in 2020 for a fee that was reported as a £3 million fee that could rise to £6 million.
He Player of the Year in the 21/22 campaign in which they won Premier League promotion but last season was heavily disrupted by injury, having started the campaign as a regular pick. McKenna is no-nonsense but would need to build on his 25% dribble completion rate with Celtic's possession-heavy style alongside more emphasis on his technical ability.
Jonny Evans
One of a couple defensive names that have been linked this summer. The Northern Irish defender is currently with Man United but only on a short-term deal, although a one-year deal is rumoured to be in the works.
He worked with Rodgers at Leicester and would provide vast experience at the highest level to the current backline. With a potential Red Devils deal though having the potential to keep in the Premier League, not mentioning the wages, is regular football and Champions League group stage football enough to tempt a man Rodgers was believed to be keen on offering a short-term deal earlier this window?
Xavier Mbuyamba
Another who has had his name mentioned with Celtic this summer, but the Volendam defender has more than one suitor. Sampdoria in Serie A are believed to be interested but no deal has been struck with the Dutch side so far.
He stands at a towering 6ft5 and scored five goals last season. He's aerially dominant but with the profile of being a technically-gifted ball-playing centre-half. With the way Rodgers wants to play, building out from the back is key and Mbuyamba could give them an option. Won 6.2 duels per 90 with 5.4 clearances per 90 last term from 28 Eredivisie games last term.
Maxime Esteve
Perhaps the most ambitious pick of the six but Esteve's quality and ceiling to improve is clear. So much so that AC Milan are believed to be preparing a €7m offer (£6m) to bring him to Serie A, so there's huge competition for his services.
He would be similar in stature to Mbuyamba in that he is tall at 6ft4 with blessed physical attributes that would ensure a smooth transition to the Scottish game alongside capability to handle European endeavours. He ranked in the top 10 when it came to counter-pressing recoveries in Ligue 1 last season and is 16th when it comes to defensive duels with 6.93 per 90, and a 67% success ratio.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
This one would likely need to be a loan deal with rumours of a £15m permanent pricetag south of the border, and Rodgers has already ruled out a move of that size. But with strong links to the City Group - already linked with Man City midfielder Tommy Doyle - asking the question of Harwood-Bellis can be taken into the equation.
The English youth international was a reported target last summer but nothing came of the links, as he went to Burnley and helped them claim Championship glory. 85% pass accuracy during the second tier season is impressive and he made literally no errors that lead to a goal, alongside 100 clearances in his 32 games. Could City see Champions League football as the next step in his development rather than another English stint?
Thiago Martins
Outside of Evans, the most experienced option on this list. He is one the scouting department will be aware of even if Rodgers might not be fully clued up on, having worked with Ange Postecoglou at Yokohama F. Marinos and still working within City Group territory at New York City.
A market value of £3m is put on him by Transfermarkt and his deal in the Big Apple expires in 2025, so there will be a question of what comes next for Martins in months to come. On the way back from an ankle injury but had been a regular prior to it. 108th in the MLS when it comes to defensive duels so that is an area for improvement but he is third in the league when it comes to passing, 59.52 per 90 with an impressive 93.19 success rate. A leader in the New York pack too which would be an additional benefit.