Celtic manager Martin O’Neill continues to work diligently at Celtic Park as he looks to end his final tenure at Parkhead with yet more Scottish Premiership success to his name, but whilst the future still has a number of unknowns for those passionate Bhoys fans who occupy their place in the stands, the breaks have been firmly put on any talk of a departure for Cameron Carter-Vickers.
The 28 year old, former Tottenham Hotspur centre half, quickly established himself as a key member of the first team squad during his original loan spell from White Hart Lane back in the 2021/22 campaign, and his performance levels impressed the clubs’ hierarchy enough to quickly shell out a reported £6 million for his permanent services the next summer. In total, the 19 capped United States international has now made well over 150 starting appearances for Celtic, and he will undoubtedly make himself part of the 200+ club before the end of the current campaign.
He has understandably become a key part of the 74 year old Irishman’s ongoing plans following his own return to Celtic last season, and often the favourite of bookmarkers betting odds, he has again been subject to plenty of speculation on the transfer rumour mill. With the New Year window again nearing, claims of a big money move are back in the headlines of many outlets, but any January departure has already been categorically ruled out. Fans will be hoping similar is true for the coming summer as well.
Whilst the Premier League interest in him cannot be denied, and the player himself may well have plans to at some point return to that division as a much more experienced and well rounded player, Celtic’s move to staying more steadfastly diligent in holding out for the best possible transfer fee and deal in their favour in more recent years would very easily put him into the £30 million bracket and ball park as a minimum in the current market.
With the clubs battling for the European places in England reasonably well stocked on a defensive front, that further plays into the hands of Celtic here as those clubs who would have a real interest in adding him to their ranks may find him on the slightly too expensive side of life, and for Carter-Vickers himself, the pull of the Premier League may be one thing – but would the pull of a potential relegation battle – or even mid table semi obscurity – be of interest to him at this stage of his career? Unlikely is the honest answer.
As he continues as a regular in the starting XI, and remains under contract at Celtic until the summer of 2029 at the very least, he is equally unlikely to be too fussed at all that the club have no desire to enter into negotiations during the upcoming transfer window and flat out, will not let him leave in any event.
As the club again look to a post O’Neill future, an offer and interest from a club that falls under both a great opportunity for the player, and a silly fee to receive for Celtic themselves, may still change the equation here.
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