Brendan Rodgers fully expects that Celtic will complete the signing of Scott Sinclair at some point over the next few weeks. Alas that signing probably won’t come today, so he will not be the “wild card” addition to the Champions League squad. Indeed, and frustratingly, it looks as though Kolo Toure will be our only addition, and he won’t play.
So another year and another gamble with qualification.
As some stage someone inside the hierarchy at Celtic Park has to put a stop to that, surely?
But for now, we’re stuck with what we’ve got and whilst I won’t be gentle should this end in disaster I’m pretty much resigned to whatever fate awaits us on Wednesday. Complaining about things will no longer accomplish much, if it ever did. We’re stuck with the squad we’ve got and we’re going to have to play these ties as is. Toure will probably be fit for the second leg, at Celtic Park, but that was never the one that worried us in the first place.
Sinclair does look as if he’s going to sign, though.
The offers we’ve made so far are well short of what Villa’s “official valuation” looks like, but they’re in a tight spot over this one, and they know it.
A deal will be struck, because it suits everyone. Whilst they may not want to sell the player “on the cheap” as they put it, the only thing that would prevent us from getting him at this stage is interest from a team in England, one which offers what Villa think the player is worth. I think that’s unlikely; Celtic’s interest is known, the player’s valuation is known, and no-one has stepped up to sign him so far.
Clubs in England are wary, for some reason. Does that mean he’s not a good player? Absolutely not. He wouldn’t be the first top star we’ve gotten from there who’s abilities were grossly under-rated. The last time we signed a midfielder from Villa it worked out pretty well.
I think we’re on a winner here. Sinclair is one of the unluckiest players in England, a guy who’s skills are such that two giants of the game down south have signed him at crucial points in his career, but who’s rosters were so overwhelmingly loaded down that he never really got a chance at either, and was never going to get a chance there. It’s no coincidence that the best spell of his career came when he was at Swansea, settled in the team, playing every week and that Brendan Rodgers was his boss throughout that time.
Indeed, Villa like him.
The only reason they’d countenance his sale to anyone is because the disaster of relegation means they’re essentially tearing up the team sheet. He is 27 years old; these are the peak years of his career. He doesn’t want to spend them in England’s second tier, not when there’s a chance to win trophies and play in the Champions League.
This is an ambitious move all round, which is why I’ve been happy since I heard about our interest. The player himself is said to be very keen to team up with Brendan again, and equally keen to play in front of a packed Celtic Park. Once this deal is complete, and we see what we’ve got, I reckon every one of us is going to be very happy with the end result.
So what’s he like, then? The closest comparison to a Celtic player of recent years would be Naka. Oh he doesn’t have everything in the Japanese’ toolbox, but he’s that sort of footballer, the kind who can open up a packed defence, playing either on the left, the right or through the middle. He’s got good feet, and pace as well. He scores goals when utilised properly.
In his first season at Swansea he averaged a goal every two games.
He overall average there is a goal every three. Impressive for a wide man.
Overall, there are many reasons to be excited here.
Pray we get this one over the line.
The signs are good though.