Celtic are increasingly hopeful of blowing Rangers away to sign Liverpool attacker Harry Wilson on loan next season, according to the Scottish Sun.
The newspaper claim Brendan Rodgers’ side are in pole position to land the Wales international, who is set to sign a new contract with the Merseyside giants and then be farmed out for the 2017-18 campaign.
The Scottish Sun report Rangers and Hull also want to land Wilson, 21, but Celtic are well placed now as they look to secure attacking replacements for Patrick Roberts and Stuart Armstrong.
Good move for Celtic?
What a capture Wilson would be for the Hoops. He demonstrated during his loan spell at Hull in the second half of last season that he can make a huge impact in senior football after matching his stunning exploits at Under-23s level. A left-footed forward who cuts in from the right flank in the same way as Roberts, Wilson is mobile, skilful, technically gifted and has a real eye for goal. In 13 Championship matches for Hull, he scored seven goals and supplied four assists, and it’s little wonder they want to sign him back. He has also been a goal machine for Liverpool, where he has netted 32 times in 60 Under-23s appearances. Celtic need greater attacking penetration from the flanks, and Wilson looks the real deal.
This is Futbol rating: 9/10
Likely to happen?
Given that the Scottish Sun are well connected to Celtic, it is certainly the case that this deal could well happen before the transfer window shuts. The Hoops have the financial resources to offer a higher loan fee than Rangers, and the lure of linking up with Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard might not be enough for the Light Blues to win this all-Glasgow race.
This is Futbol rating: 7/10