McGowan names Celtic’s SPFL signing target

Stephen McGowan is reporting that Liam Kelly is on a list of Celtic’s summer transfer targets.

The Daily Mail reporter has a long track record of being very accurate when it comes to Celtic transfer stories but doesn’t go stronger than saying that the Motherwell ‘keeper is on a list.

With his contract expiring and as a member of the Scotland international squad it would be understandable to have Kelly listed but it is quite a stretch to see him as a successor to Joe Hart.

Tonight in the Daily Mail McGowan reports:

Celtic have placed Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly — who started his career at Rangers — on a list of summer transfer targets.

Former England No1 Joe Hart will retire from professional football after the Scottish Cup final, while Swiss keeper Benjamin Siegrist is also likely to leave in search of first-team football.

Out of contract this summer, Scotland international Kelly is in the frame to win a place in Steve Clarke’s squad for Euro 2024.

Well known to Celtic and former Scotland goalkeeper coach Stevie Woods, the 28-year-old comes without a fee and would bolster the number of homegrown players available for Europe.

Kelly made his Scotland senior debut in a friendly defeat to France in October. Starting his career with Rangers, he moved on to play for Livingston and QPR.

With interest from down south, a return to English football has not been ruled out if Brendan Rodgers looks elsewhere.

Since Hart announced in February that he will be retiring there has been a couple of foreign based keepers linked with Celtic.

Scott Bain and Ben Siegrist both have experience of the domestic game but have barely had a look in over the last two seasons with Hart recently making his 150th Celtic appearance.