Celtic could see £10m bid accepted to sign a big upgrade on Liam Scales

Just two teams have conceded more goals than Celtic in the top six of the Scottish Premiership this season.

Even three points behind Hearts with everything to play for, there’s no denying that the Bhoys have got some big problems to solve when the summer transfer window swings open.

Not only do they need to find their next manager, and preferably not a Wilfried Nancy repeat, but Celtic have also got to back that manager with some significant defensive investment.

With the threat of falling further behind Rangers and Hearts, the Bhoys simply have to prioritise a backline which has gone from the best in Scotland to a clear liability.

How Celtic can fix their weak defence

Wearing the crown is one thing, moving forward with it is another. And Celtic have simply stood still ever since retaining their Scottish Premiership title last season and are facing the very real threat of being dethroned as a result.

It didn’t take long for Brendan Rodgers’ final straw to arrive when those at Parkhead failed to rebuild his squad just months after he sealed title glory. And Nancy was never likely to replicate Rodgers’ success fresh from the MLS. The supporters, meanwhile, have been airing their grievances all season long.

Instead of investing in proven quality last summer, Celtic welcomed young stars such as Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, whose loan spell was quickly brought to an end. The resulting drop off has been frustratingly dramatic.

Their goals have more than halved and their goals against have increased by nine and counting with five games left to play. At both ends, it has been a disastrous campaign for Celtic, but it is their defence that will lead them back to title glory next season and should be the first fix.

What hasn’t helped on that front is the increased responsibility of Liam Scales. The central defender has gone from starting 17 games to playing a crucial role at the heart of Celtic’s backline, starting 29 of 33 Scottish Premiership games.

If the Bhoys are to welcome key improvements, then the 27-year-old should be the first player to step aside this summer.

Celtic could sign a £10m Scales upgrade

It seems as though Parkhead chiefs know where their biggest weakness lies, too. Reports in recent days have linked Celtic with a move for Scottish defender Scott McKenna, now at Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb. Enquiries about his availability and price tag have allegedly been made.

That said, this will not be an easy deal to complete. The club’s chief scout, Tomislav Sokota, stated: “It’s not just speculation about Scott McKenna, there are serious offers. We are talking about £10m here.”

The Scot joined the Croatian side last summer and has done enough to earn the attention of those at Celtic Park. And after playing for Aberdeen, Nottingham Forest, Las Palmas and Zagreb, he’s certainly got the experience to replace Scales at the heart of the Bhoys’ backline.

As a one-on-one defender, McKenna has that leadership that Scales lacks. The numbers suggest that, for £10m, the 29-year-old is about as reliable as it gets.

It’s not often that central defenders are dribbled past just once all season. It’s a stat made famous by Virgil van Dijk and seemingly replicated by McKenna this season. Scales, meanwhile, has struggled when caught one-on-one.

It would also be a clear statement of intent from Celtic chiefs if they splashed the cash to upgrade their backline this summer. They’ve rightly been criticised for how hesitant they’ve been to spend in the last 12 months and should bring that to an end by signing McKenna.

Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed that “attack wins you games, but defence wins you titles”. One season on from Celtic’s title win, it’s hard to argue against that.

There’s plenty of work for the Bhoys to do this summer, that’s for sure.

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