OPINION
Celtic must attempt to sign Everton centre-back Mason Holgate in the January transfer window with the Hoops facing a potential crisis at the back.
Filip Benkovic’s loan is set to expire at the end of the season – whereupon he will return to Leicester – while Dedryck Boyata is bound to attract attention, meaning that Brendan Rodgers may have a crisis at centre-back.
This is why a move for Holgate would make complete sense in January, as it would help Rodgers get him used to a different league in time for next season.
He is the answer to the woes they may face, and at 22 years old, he can be considered as a long-term option for the club.
Regular game time is hard to come by for the young ace, as he has only been handed five Premier League appearances by Everton boss Marco Silva, who seems to have his preferred choices in the shapes of Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Kurt Zouma.
This no doubt means that Holgate will be in search of more first team opportunities elsewhere, and Celtic is definitely the club where he will be able to get more minutes under his belt.
The Hoops would be the perfect place for him to go to as he already has the attributes to thrive at a top-level club like Celtic, and there is no doubt that he will improve considerably with regular game time.
According to Spotrac, the youngster is currently £25,000-a-week, a wage which Celtic would be able to match comfortably, as well as the transfer fee that comes with it.
Yes, he does not have as much experience as most Premier League centre-backs, but the Hoops are far better off signing a younger talent than bringing in a veteran defender.
Rodgers would be onto a winner by swooping for the Toffees ace, as he is just what they need to fix one of his key problem areas.