Celtic are set to table a bid for Wigan Athletic right-back Nathan Byrne after the collapse of their pursuit of Moses Oduabayo, according to Football Insider.
The football site claim the Glasgow giants have already made an approach through initial enquiries for Byrne, 26, as manager Brendan Rodgers steps up his bid to land a right-sided defender this summer.
Football Insider report talks with Oduabayo have failed to get off the ground and Celtic have pulled the plug on any deal as they set their sights on Byrne instead.
Good move for Celtic?
Yes, definitely. Byrne is a fine right-back who is entering his peak years and could be a mainstay at Celtic for years to come. He had an excellent 2017-18 campaign for Wigan as they won the League One title to secure promotion back to the English Championship. Not only is he a solid defender, the Englishman also provides an excellent attacking outlet on the right flank. He provided eight assists last season, an excellent return for a player who is predominantly a defender and demonstrated his durability and fitness by playing virtually every minute of every game. With Mikael Lustig a shadow of the player he once was, Byrne could be a fine replacement.
This Is Futbol rating 7/10
Likely to happen?
Football Insider have a good track record when it comes to transfers. Certainly, Byrne is primed to leave Wigan as he is about to enter the final year of his contract, which means this summer is the newly-promoted club’s last chance of getting a sizeable fee for the player. If he pushes hard for a transfer, this is likely to happen in the next month or so, and Celtic are well positioned to get a deal done.
This Is Futbol rating 6/10