3 free agents Celtic should try to sign in the summer

Celtic will need to start adding players soon, and there are a lot of great options on the free agent market. Here are three the Hoops should consider.

There can be some great experience, skill and talent in the lists of players freed up and released from their contracts. There can also be plenty of players looking for deals which realistically are beyond their talent, age or injury record. Celtic should consider some players via this route.

Just as examples, Jozo Simunovic, Craig Gordon and Johnny Hayes will all likely make excellent signings for their new clubs. But there’s many a Marvin Compper and Derk Boerrigter out there to be more wary of. The current financial crisis facing many clubs may well also mean a few more terminated or not extended contracts than usual as clubs cut their spending where possible.

So where’s the high quality or potential talent that realistically could be of interest to Celtic? Well let’s have a couple of simple rules on that to make life interesting. We’ll avoid anyone we’ve had a rumour or story about already over the last few weeks and we’ll exclude anyone from Scottish clubs. That means you won’t be getting Jordan Ibe,  Joe Hart or Stephen O’Donnell mentioned here then, nor a tongue in cheek Andy Halliday joining to lead the Green Brigade singing from the subs bench!

Let’s have a look at a range of options, some may be fanciful but all could just about be possible and it’s good to speculate. Let’s face it, no-one wants all the options to be dull, cheap and unheard of do they?

Ethan Hamilton

Remember the old Scottish midfield terriers so sought after by English clubs in the 1970s and 80s. Every top team had or wanted one in their ranks.

Hamilton could develop into just that. Described as a robust midfielder he’s been on the verge of the first team squad at times.  It’s likely that United’s own transition needs under Solskjaer have possibly meant it was awkward to have too many new players breaking through at once, so Hamilton may have missed his opportunity there.

He’s only 21-years old though and his release from the Old Trafford ranks brings fresh opportunity. Developed originally through Hutchison Vale where Darren Fletcher, and indeed many great players started their careers, he had some United first team experience over summer friendlies in USA at the start of the 2018-19 season, including a glamour game against AC Milan.  He was then spending time out on loan that season and next gaining valuable playing time experience at Rochdale, Southend United and then Bolton Wanderers from January 2020 onwards. Hamilton would not be an immediate breakthrough into the team but might find joining Celtic a useful next step in his career and be one to watch and develop. That sort of midfield strength could be great cover for Scott Brown in the future. Worth a look if he’s sensible on wages after United.