Scott McKenna should jump at the chance to sign for Celtic should Brendan Rodgers make a move for the central defender who is currently in Germany with Steve Clarke’s Scotland Squad at Euro 2024.
The former Aberdeen defender is a free agent this summer after leaving Nottingham Forest at the end of his contract. McKenna actually spend the last few months of his contract out on loan at Copenhagen where he experienced knock-out stages Champions League football. And with plenty of Premier League experience plus an abundance of Scottish Premiership matches under his belt, the former Rangers defender Alan Hutton reckons that the 27 year old Scotland internationalist should tick all the boxes for Celtic.
Playing for Celtic and it won’t phase him
“I think it would be a really good decision for him to go and be part of that Celtic team,” Hutton told Football Insider. “He’s had that experience of being down south, he was out on loan and now he wants to go somewhere and find a home, play regular football and be happy.
“He’s got a lot of experience at international level as well. He knows what it’s all about. He knows the pressure he’ll be under when it comes to playing for Celtic and it won’t phase him.
“He’ll also have the opportunity to win trophies and compete at the highest level in the Champions League campaign. To get him in on a free, Scottish, I think the deal ticks a lot of boxes for Celtic,” Hutton added.
In his prime as an experienced defender
Whether Celtic supporters agree with that assessment or not, Hutton does make a reasonable argument and Brendan Rodgers had previously shown interest in signing McKenna ahead of his move to Nottingham Forest. At 27, McKenna is in his prime as an experienced defender and it’s worth noting that he always enjoyed playing against theRangers while at Aberdeen.
With several of the current central defenders at the club not looking like making an impact then Brendan Rodgers will be looking at activity in the transfer market and a new left sided centre half will be a priority alongside at least one goalkeeper a left-back and a centre forward.
While it still remains a guessing game upon how Rodgers will be looking to build the squad for next season?
Still believe that there is a place within it for another left sided CB imo?
Also the biggest advantage for ourselves is mckenna adding to our 8 homegrown quota.
Think Rodgers will be looking at having 5CB within the squad next season, so potentially CCV and rocki as our right sided CB options, and maybe scales and mckenna as our left side CB options, then potentially lawal or Welsh as the 3rd choice available to ourselves?
Of course that could change with lawal moving into a midfield option, especially if Kelly doesn’t sign a new contract imo?
My personal preference would be for lawal to be included as a potential CB option next season, and allowing Welsh a full season out on loan, and maybe be in a better position to challenge Rocki for his position within the squad the following season imo?
The lack of game time available to Welsh has held back the development of Welsh somewhat imo, and we might see how beneficial it has been regarding lawal?
So having 4 Scottish defenders within our squad, along with Calmac and forrest, brings ourselves up to 6.
Armstrong or McGowan as another midfield option could bring ourselves up to 7?
Already mentioned 8 to fill our homegrown quota, and that’s without Bain, and Mikey Johnston along with weather Vata and Kelly should sign contracts with ourselves, even if they still qualify for the B list regarding CL?
Think it tends to go unnoticed just how important the 8 homegrown rule is to ourselves, especially when it takes up nearly a third of our overall squad that Rodgers potentially wants to be working with?
To much emphasis is placed upon the starting 11 and generally so reliant upon key players within that starting 11?
Yet we need far more than that within todays game?
If anything has been learnt from last season, then we have to be far better prepared for if injuries impact ourselves?
Also we managed to secure another double last season when a freshness still existed within our squad, yet the scum fell flat on there faces when the pressure is applied at the back end of the season?
Next season the demands within the squad will actually increase, especially with the new format of the CL and extra huge games for ourselves.
So rotation within the squad will become a bigger factor for ourselves, so game management will increase also.
We seen a drop off within levels during last season with Oreily and scales with having to be so dependent upon them, and same could be applied to kyogo also?
Some times key players have to be taken out of the firing line and the reset button pressed, but as a team usually we don’t like to go there generally?
Which isn’t to surprising really, especially as we haven’t really had a full 25man squad in place that allows for rotation throughout the team?
So getting player’s closer in quality between 1st and 2nd choice in place for positions within the team, will be very beneficial to ourselves over the course of a season, especially with the greater competition for the no1 choice imo?
Wouldn’t have to many complaints if that should result in mckenna and scales as our left sided CB options, especially with enough to be considered as a 3rd choice option should the case arise imo?