Celtic have joined the race to sign out-of-favour Leeds United full-back Charlie Taylor, according to a reliable journalist.
The Sun reporter Alan Nixon claimed on his personal Twitter account on Saturday evening that the Scottish club were ready to fight-off competition for the soon-to-be-available defender.
Taylor, 23, is out of contract this summer, and appears destined to quit Elland Road with several top-flight sides reportedly coveting his services.
Premier League duo West Brom and Burnley remain keen on signing the player this summer, but Nixon reports that they are both ‘scared” over a potential deal heading to a tribunal.
A transfer can go to a tribunal when a player under the age of 24 moves clubs at the end of his contract, at which point a panel decides upon a non-negotiable valuation for the player that the club must pay.
Both West Brom and Burnley are, therefore, reserved as to the prospect of having to pay hefty compensation to land Taylor from Leeds this summer, instead of him moving on a free transfer.
Nixon states that Taylor could be snapped up for only a “small fee”, but if the transfer goes to a tribunal, neither Celtic, West Brom or Burnley will know what they must pay until after they commit to a deal.
Celtic, however, are in no urgent need for a new left-back after the meteoric rise of youngster Kieran Tierney as an indispensable member of the first-team squad.
The experienced Emilio Izaguirre is currently the backup option at the club, but Taylor could add further competition, particularly if either of Celtic’s current options quit the club.