Dundee United are reported to have joined the list of clubs interested in signing Declan Gallagher from Motherwell.
On January 4 a source close to the defender told the Daily Record that he was hoping to move to Celtic but there has been no indication of interest from Celtic although John Kennedy has admitted that central defence is an area of the squad that needs to be strengthened.
Gallagher moved from Livingston to Motherwell in the summer of 2019 and soon played his way into the Scotland squad and is now the captain at Fir Park.
After starting his career at Celtic he moved on without making a top team appearance, forcing his way up through the ranks from Clyde through Dundee and Livingston into the Scotland side that reached the European Championship Finals.
With a critical contract date approaching the Glasgow Times report:
The stopper is out of contract this summer but is just a handful of appearances away from triggering an automatic extension at Fir Park. United, though, would love to add the international to their ranks and Herald and Times Sport understands they would hope to make him one of their highest paid players to entice him to move.
There could, as is understood, be more financial benefits to Gallagher which sees United’s deal a significant one. For any transfer to be done this month, United would have to pay a fee. But it is believed they would be willing to sort a pre-contract for the player.
Gallagher, 29, has been linked with Celtic in recent weeks with the struggling champions needing cover at centre-half following Christopher Jullien’s knee injury. It is also understood Aberdeen are keen on a move for Gallagher and there is serious interest down south from the likes of QPR and Cardiff.
Dundee United have attempted to impose pay cuts on their players despite adding to their squad, paying out a transfer fee and making Gallagher one of their best paid players would seem a strange move.
Against Livingston on Saturday Celtic had Nir Bitton and Shane Duffy together in central defence.
