OPINION
Celtic are reportedly eyeing up Portsmouth defender Jack Whatmough ahead of his contract expiring at Fratton Park, but fans surely can’t be happy with Brendan Rodgers wanting a player who is no better than he already has.
The Bhoys’ defence has been terrible over the last season and a half and with Filip Benkovic and Dedryck Boyata likely to both be on their way in the summer, Rodgers is going to have one major issue on his hands.
Kristoffer Ajer, Jozo Simunovic and Jack Hendry could be Celtic’s only centre-backs by the summer, so reinforcements in that area of the squad should be a massive priority because none of them three are anywhere near good enough.
So why on earth is Rodgers reportedly looking at a player from England’s League One?
According to the Sun, Celtic are eyeing up Whatmough, who is also a target for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers.
The 22-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season so should be available on a cut-price deal, but just because he is cheap doesn’t mean he would be a good signing for the Hoops.
If Celtic really are a team with much more money than Rangers, much bigger aspirations and much more of a sure-bet for silverware, why is Rodgers looking at players that might struggle to even get in Gerrard’s starting line-up?
Whatmough isn’t a terrible player, there’s a reason why Aberdeen are said to be looking at him because he is probably their level.
However there is no way that he is any better than Ajer or Simunovic, so signing him would just be another waste of money.
What has happened to the near-£20million that was pocketed when Moussa Dembele left Parkhead? Why is none of that money being used to pull off a big signing that would surely upgrade Rodgers’ beleaguered defence?
Questions have to be asked of Peter Lawwell and Lee Congerton for failing to help Rodgers in the transfer market.
Fans should be furious if the best their club is hoping for is a 22-year-old freebie from England’s League One.