OPINION
Celtic have surely scrapped their hunt to sign Hibernian midfielder John McGinn after it was claimed that the Scottish treble winners are closing in on a deal to sign Australia international Daniel Arzani.
The Daily Record reported earlier this month that the Hoops were ready to bide their time in trying to sign McGinn, 23, on a cut-price deal with the midfield maestro’s contract at Hibs expiring next summer.
It was understood that two bids had been tabled for the Scotland international, but remained £1million short of Hibs’ £3million valuation of the player.
The majority of Celtic fans have never really been behind the potential signing of McGinn, who has been linked with moving to Parkhead for quite some time, and now it looks as though the pursuit of his signature is dead and buried.
Celtic already have a lot of midfielders in the squad but they sold Stuart Armstrong to Southampton earlier this summer and McGinn was potentially being lined up to replace him.
However, according to the Daily Mail, Celtic are going to sign Arzani, 19, on loan from Manchester City as soon as the Australia international joins the Premier League champions for £280,000.
Once Arzani arrives, it would cancel out the Hoops’ need for a new playmaking midfielder and would surely shut down their attempts to sign McGinn, until next summer at least.
Arzani represented Australia at the World Cup and would more than likely be used by Brendan Rodgers as a back-up option to his Socceroos team-mate Tom Rogic and a replacement for Armstrong.
McGinn was probably a tad over-priced by Hibs anyway due to the fact that he could leave for free next year.
And now maybe Celtic are holding out for the possibility of signing the Easter Road maestro for absolutely nothing in the near future.