Celtic linked with Red Bull Salzburg left-back Gideon Mensah

Celtic’s search for a new left-back after the departure of Kieran Tierney has seen them get linked with an unlikely name in the form Red Bull Salzburg youngster Gideon Mensah.

Celtic have been linked with names like Kilmarnock’s Greg Taylor and Rosenborg’s Birger Meling as potential replacements for Kieran Tierney. The Scot was a huge part of Neil Lennon’s team and his departure for Arsenal in the summer left a huge void in the squad. Summer arrival Boli Bolingoli has not looked like the man to fill Tierney’s empty boots at Parkhead and as a result the club have been forced into actively pursuing another left-back in the transfer market.

For a long while it appeared that Kilmarnock’s 21-year-old left-back, Greg Taylor, was headed to Celtic Park but now the move has fallen through after the two clubs could not agree on a transfer fee. Celtic are not prepared to pay £3-million for Taylor while Kilmarnock are not prepared to budge on their asking price. As a result, it does not appear that we will be seeing the former Rangers youth star in a Hoops jersey anytime soon.

The Birger Meling transfer has also stalled over the past few weeks. Rosenborg are still in with a chance to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League and if they do manage to do so, Meling will surely be staying at the Norwegian side in order to play in Europe’s elite competition.

Now with less than a week left in the transfer window and their options narrowing down, Celtic have been linked with Red Bull Salzburg left-back Gideon Mensah. According to Ghana Soccernet, the Ghanaian will soon decide on his future and has offers from both Celtic and Zulte Waregem. He was also targeted by FC Barcelona for their B side but that move has fallen through.

Mensah moved to Red Bull Salzburg in 2017 but is yet to make a competitive appearance for the Austrian side. But he managed to impress for Sturm Graz where he spent the second half of last season on loan.

Mensah has all the attributes to succeed at Parkhead. He is quick and comes with an attacking mindset that will surely help him fit into Neil Lennon’s side. And while a move to Celtic will also most probably be on a loan, it makes sense for the Scottish Champions in the short term with them quickly running out of options as the summer transfer window approaches its end.