Celtic are now considering a January bid to sign Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson, who is also being targeted by bitter rivals Rangers.
Following Brendan Rodgers’ resignation, Martin O’Neill has been keeping things steady at Parkhead, with the veteran manager winning his first three matches in charge, most recently defeating Rangers in the Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden.
Extra-time goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand secured a 3-1 victory for the Hoops, setting up a clash with St. Mirren on December 14th, although O’Neill was none the wiser, given his response when asked if he would take charge of the final.
The interim boss said: “I was 73 on Monday, I’m 94 now! I don’t even know when the final is. I would imagine the club are making inroads to a permanent manager.”
Reaching a final is always cause for optimism, but the 55-time Scottish champions’ league form suggests they need to make improvements in the winter window, currently sitting nine points behind league-leaders Hearts.
Celtic considering January bid to sign David Watson
According to a report from The Herald, Celtic are now considering a January bid to sign Kilmarnock midfielder Watson, with the 20-year-old’s current contract due to expire at the end of the campaign, meaning he is free to negotiate pre-contract terms with other clubs.
The Hoops may have to hijack Rangers, however, with it last month being revealed their rivals have also identified the youngster, who could be Danny Rohl’s first signing, as a transfer target.
Foreign clubs have also expressed an interest in the midfielder, which means Kilmarnock could cash-in this January, although they may also choose to retain him until the end of the season to boost their chances of finishing higher in the Scottish Premiership.
Kilmarnock vice-captain Robbie Deas has waxed lyrical about the starlet’s work ethic in the past, saying: “Davey’s fantastic, honestly. He’s one of the hardest workers you’ll ever meet. He’s absolutely fantastic. You see that today, and he’s putting those tackles in later on.”
Not only that, but the Scotland U21 international is already very experienced at senior level, despite his age, making 117 appearances for the Kilmarnock first team, and he has already scored three league goals in 11 outings this term.
As such, there are clear signs Watson could be capable of making the step-up to a club the size of Celtic, but their main priority should be to bring in a permanent replacement for Rodgers.
O’Neill’s solid start has bought Dermot Desmond & co some time, but bringing in a top manager could really help put the pressure on Hearts, with Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen, who has won four league titles in the last five seasons, recently emerging as an option.
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