Major Alex McCarthy news amid Celtic transfer links

The season is over and Celtic won another double, while the Rangers were left with more questions than answers. The focus will now turn towards the summer transfer window and the Hoops have a few positions in need of strengthening as well. The biggest of them is the goalkeeping situation at Parkhead with Joe Hart retiring.

Hart joined Celtic in the summer of 2021 from Tottenham Hotspur amid a lot of doubts. He proved the critics wrong over three seasons at Parkhead though, winning seven trophies and becoming a fan favourite by the end of his run with the club.

Alex McCarthy is one of the goalkeepers who has been linked with a move to Celtic In recent weeks. But it looks like Southampton are planning to keep the veteran goalkeeper at the club.

Southampton have managed to gain promotion to the Premier League, by winning the Championship play-offs. McCarthy played a key part in that, having become the starting goalkeeper by the end of the season.

Major Alex McCarthy news amid Celtic transfer links

As reported by Football Scotland, Southampton manager Russell Martin said to the Southern Daily Echo:

"Yeah, we'll try and keep all three. I think that's been the plan the whole time. Whether or not we can, I don't know. I know that there will be offers for all of them and probably offers that will pay them more than we can. Hopefully, the feeling they have and all that stuff will outweigh financial gain but maybe there'll be other things about it too."

Speaking specifically about McCarthy, the manager said:

"And then Big Al, I guess I'm a bit of an idiot for not playing a bit sooner but I think we have such a brilliant goalkeeping department here with Gavin and Joe as well. I'm so pleased for Al that it finished in this way. As I said, maybe it was meant to happen that he came into the team at some point.

"He's been immense since he came in so we'll try and keep Al as well and we'll keep our fingers crossed."

It remains to be seen what the future holds for McCarthy at Southampton. Of course, if Celtic ended up signing him over the summer, it would be seen as a disappointment by many.

A lot of fans want the club to bring in a youngster who will be the number one between the posts for years to come. McCarthy is not going to be that long-term solution for Celtic, as he is 34 years of age already. But if there is one thing we have learned from Hart's time at Parkhead, it is that no veteran goalkeeper should ever ruled out before being given a chance to show what they are capable of.