Not too long ago, it was looking like Eddie Howe was destined to take over at Celtic. There were even rumours about him getting the job over the next week or so. It is safe to say that things have changed since then.
Now, it does look like the move for Howe is not as close as it was first believed and he plans to remain out of management till the summer at least.
Of course, this does not mean that the potential move to Parkhead is off the table altogether and he is still believed to be the favourite for the job. But the club must be prepared for all possible scenarios, including him not taking over at Celtic.
As a result, it would not be surprising if they are looking at alternatives for the former Bournemouth manager. And according to Football Insider, Lucian Favre appears to be an option in case Howe ends up rejecting the offer from the Hoops.
Celtic appear to be preparing in case Howe rejects their offer
Doubts have been raised about the potential move after Sami Mokbel tweeted out comments from Howe’s representative:
Re: Eddie Howe’s move to Celtic. A representative for Howe said: ‘There has been significant interest in Eddie from a number of clubs. However, talks of any deal being close are extremely premature. His plan remains to not return to management until the summer at the earliest.’
— Sami Mokbel (@SamiMokbel81_DM) April 7, 2021
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Now, it is too early to think that a move to Celtic for Howe is off. After all, there was always the feeling that he might want to take over at Parkhead at the end of the season and not immediately, with only the Scottish Cup left to play for.
But if that does end up happening, it is good to see that the club are prepared for the worst case scenario. Favre has managed at some top clubs over the course of his career and is a great manager in his own right.
Even then, Howe should remain the club’s top target. He is without doubt a great manager who did a spectacular job in taking Bournemouth from the relegation zone of League Two to the Premier League. As a result, someone like him could do a great job at Parkhead.
Over the past few days, it had seemed like a deal was very close to being done but now things have gotten interesting for sure.