Celtic could be in need of a new left-back. They have plenty of options there already. Greg Taylor has been a consistent performer over the past couple of seasons. On the other hand, Alexandro Bernabei was brought in for a significant transfer fee last summer and has now had a year to settle into Scottish football.
Taylor played his best football under the management of Ange Postecoglou. That style of football was perfect for him. His performances since the appointment of Brendan Rodgers have been less than convincing.
On the other hand, Bernabei has never found his feet since arriving at Parkhead. He is good going forward but leaves a lot to be desired in defence.
Thus, signing another left-back might not be a bad idea for Celtic. And it looks like they have a very highly-rated one in their sights.
Celtic considering move for £7 million-plus left-back
As reported by The Mail+, Celtic are weighing up a move for Quentin Merlin, who plays for Nantes in Ligue 1. The French left-back has been watched by the club’s scouts on several occasions recently. But his team would only entertain transfer bids in excess of £7 million for the 21-year-old.
There is no doubt that Merlin is a very highly-rated talent. He has managed to catch the eye despite Nantes’ struggles in recent years. They barely managed to avoid relegation last season and with Ligue 1 becoming a 18-team league from this campaign, things are going to be even tougher for them.
It remains to be seen if Celtic end up making an offer of that magnitude, north of £7 million, for Merlin or not. At the end of the day, that would be a significant fee for the Hoops. Especially when you consider that they already have a few players capable of playing at left-back.