Celtic fans were delighted by the news that Shane Duffy is about to sign a loan deal but many were left wondering about what might have been.
A week ago Duffy could have gone into the side that faced Ferencvaros in the Champions League qualifiers where two defensive blunders led to Celtic’s elimination.
Neil Lennon has been looking for a central defender since Jozo Simunovic left the club at the end of May with the Brighton defender linked over the last month.
Duffy’s arrival instantly adds strength to the Celtic defence and opens up the option to go 3-5-2 which worked so well in the closing stages of last season.
After an unconvincing start to the SPFL the signing of the Irish defender should bring focus and direction to the defence while Albian Ajeti looks like doing a similar job in attack.
There are only six SPFL fixtures until the end of October but with one of them being the first Glasgow derby of the season full points will be required to get Celtic back into the driving seat after August brought dropped points at Kilmarnock, the Boli Bolingoli incident and absences from Leigh Griffiths and Odsonne Edouard alongside the Ferencvaros defeat.
Celtic set to tie up season-long loan deal for Brighton and Ireland defender Shane Duffyhttps://t.co/nVcsAeoYbL via @MailSport
— stephen.mcgowan (@mcgowan_stephen) August 30, 2020
About as close to an official nod as you’ll get before it happens.
— Del | ThatBeardyGamer (@ThatBeardyGamer) August 30, 2020
@garymca66 Duffy almost definitely happening by the looks of it! ?
— Marc McArdle (@marcmcardle1) August 30, 2020
That’s Simunovic finally replaced. Who’s coming in if Ajer goes?
— Soddit (@FrankON60131492) August 30, 2020
Shane Duffy is a great player brilliant signing
— Dazzer (@DarrenMcMenami1) August 30, 2020
Looooooove it
— Nicholas Mendola (@NicholasMendola) August 31, 2020
Quality signing. ???
— John F ? (@johnf2008) August 30, 2020
Because he is a Celtic fan and wants to be part of our historical 10 in a row
— Mark Nicholas (@joydivision61_h) August 31, 2020
All too late to secure UCL group stages
It happens every year
— Brendan Edouard (@benthebass6) August 30, 2020
