Talking to the Daily Record’s Celtic podcast, football pundit Chris Sutton has urged Celtic to sign Brighton & Hove Albion player Shane Duffy, as per The Boot Room.
The 28-year-old could be permitted to leave the Seagulls this summer with the player falling down the pecking order after Graham Potter hired Joel Veltman and Ben White returned from his loan spell at Leeds.
According to the Daily Mail, the Bhoys are interested in signing Duffy, with the Albion asking them a £2million loan fee. However, they are facing competition from West Ham and West Brom.
Sutton said in the podcast that the former Blackburn Rovers player would be a good hire for the Scottish club. According to him, the Bhoys lack a player like Duffy who ‘really loves defending’.
“There’s talk of Shane Duffy and he would be a good signing,” Chris said. “He is a defender that really loves defending – that is a dying art in the modern game. Celtic have missed someone like that, someone to attack the ball.”
He started his career at Everton, and after the loan spells at Burnley, Scunthorpe United and Yeovil Town, he ended up at Blackburn Rovers where he made 69 appearances with seven goals and four assists to his name.
The Ireland international is an outstanding centre-back who has lots of experience at the highest level, plus he has earned 33 caps for the national side. He could be a great signing for the club, even if they would have to part with £2million for signing him on loan.
However, they shouldn’t make themselves dependent on one plan only. They need a good defender and if they find it hard to sign Duffy, then it makes sense if they try to hire a lesser player.