Celtic are locked in one of their toughest set of transfer talks in years as they attempt to bring Shane Duffy to Glasgow.
In normal circumstances the hoops would be wasting their time competing with four EPL clubs for the signing of a 28-year-old current internationalist on the back of three seasons in ‘the greatest league in the world’.
This situation however has one very different factor. If it was a straight choice the Derry born defender would be heading to Lennoxtown this morning to prepare for training ahead of the match against KR Reykjavik.
Duffy’s heart is set on Celtic but he is sitting on a contract signed last October that ensures him of EPL terms until 2023.
Moving to West Ham, Burnley or West Brom would involve a nice rise but neither option will provide him with a green and white shirt and the chance of a place in history cherished by the peers that he grew up alongside and who helped shape his views.
Simply put it’s an affair of the heart. Duffy won’t run out of money any time soon but a permanent move to another EPL club would be far more lucrative than whatever Celtic can muster together. What price job satisfaction compared to another wedge in the bank account?
Over the course of this year Keith Jackson has established some very strong contacts inside Celtic, when Peter Lawwell spoke out about hosting test matches with fans present, he turned to the top man at the Record.
Covering the complex Duffy negotiations in the Record, Jackson reports:
But a source close to the talks told us: “Shane has made it clear that he’s a massive Celtic supporter and that could make all the difference in terms of his decision. If he did choose Celtic then it would be more of a romantic notion rather than a financial decision.
“Celtic are certainly part of the conversation but there is also a realisation that this will be a very difficult deal to do because it’s impossible to compete with the wages on offer in the English Premier League.”
With the Champions League qualifiers starting tomorrow Neil Lennon has only one pairing in place for central defence. If Chris Jullien or Kris Ajer gets injured an untested pairing will be put together.
Signing Duffy would change that scenario and open up the prospect of playing a back three but in 2020 footballers need a lot more than the opportunity to wear their favourite boyhood kit and the chance to make history, further cementing your place in the folklore of your home city.
