Celtic’s Latest Touted Target Is Not Worth The Money His Club Wants For Him.

The latest rumour is an old rumour, and it’s one I’ve enjoyed promoting before because I like the guy and think he’s a good player.

I also understand why we’d be looking at him, based on his national team involvement with Ange, his record in prior seasons and his record in this campaign and in particular that he’s scored against us and ran riot against Ibrox.

But is Martin Boyle still a player we would want? Is Martin Boyle a player we would want to pay £3 million for? When you look at the players we’ve bought from Japan I think the answer to that question is a “no.”

For a lesser fee, perhaps … but not for that kind of cash.

And especially not when you consider the absolute bargains we’ve had from the Far East.

They represent good value for money.

He’s 28, and if Forrest is fit, Jota is in the team, Maeda and Kyogo are playing well and Abada excels, where does he even get a place? Would we pay that for someone his age, to sit on the bench?

Even with squad rotation, are we getting what we paid for?

Martin Boyle would have worked in a Lennon or Howe team, one assembled reasonably cheaply out of known qualities, players from the SPL and England. But this team has a very different identity to what Lennon or Howe would have put together.

I have always liked him. I think he’s a fantastic footballer. But I think we already have better options and maybe more signings in his area are on the way; we just don’t know what Ange may have in store on that front.

I wouldn’t be exactly heartbroken if the boss wanted a deal for this guy. But I’d be surprised if it was for that fee. I would be surprised if he was coming in as anything more than a squad player.

It feels like a rumour and a particularly lazy one at the present time; they are my job here on the blog.

Yet this one feels like a non-starter to me. I don’t see it at all.

The Rumour Guy is a Celtic fan and blogger from Glasgow.