Celtic would be foolish to miss out on signing this £2.5m-rated star from Brentford and here’s why

Celtic Opinion: Hoops should leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of £2.5 million-rated Romaine Sawyers

According to the Daily Record, Celtic have been credited with an interest in £2.5 million-rated Brentford star Romaine Sawyers, with reports claiming that Hoops boss Neil Lennon is keen to make a few more additions to his squad ahead of the upcoming season.

The Hoops made the headlines with the big-money signing of centre-back Christopher Jullien from Toulouse a few days back, while the reigning Scottish champions have also completed deals for left-back Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo and Bolton Wanderers starlet Luca Connell.

Neil Lennon has already made his intentions very clear in the transfer window and a squad rebuild is very much in the air, with manager apparently on the lookout for a new central midfielder.

The Hoops were heavily linked with a move for Motherwell’s David Turnbull but they are looking for alternatives after talks between the two clubs over a possible deal for the emerging Scottish star failed to reach a positive end. (h/t Daily Record)

Sawyers is not the only central midfielder on Celtic’s radar, though, with the club also keeping close tabs on West Brom starlet Rekeem Harper, as well as, Ecuadorian youngster Jose Cifuentes, who has also been linked with a move to Man City. (h/t Daily Record)

This is not the first time, however, that the Hoops have shown an interest in Sawyers, with the Daily Record claiming that Celtic scouted the St.Kitts and Nevis international back in his earlier days at Walsall in EFL League One, as per reports from the Daily Record.

As the story goes, the 27-year-old has once again got himself back in the radar of the Scottish giants with his consistently impressive performances for Brentford in the Championship and he might as well prove to be a bargain at the quoted price of £2.5 million.

Brentford finished 11th in the second-tier this past season and missed out on a spot in the playoffs but Sawyers was amongst the standout performers at Griffin Park.

The 27-year-old failed to find the net but he chipped in with 6 assists in 42 appearances, with manager Thomas Frank rotating him between attacking, central and defensive roles in the middle of the park.

A youth product of West Brom, Sawyers found regular minutes difficult to come by at his boyhood club and subsequently had loan stints at Port Vale, Shrewsbury Town and Walsall, joining the latter permanently back in 2013.

The midfielder hit great heights with the League One outfit and accumulated 19 goals and 25 assists in 162 appearances across all competitions before earning a move to the Championship with Brentford back in 2016.

His stocks have been on the rise ever since and the St.Kitts and Nevis international has gone from strength to strength over the past few campaigns, establishing himself as a first-team regular at Griffin Park.

While a tally of 8 goals and 20 assists in 135 appearances isn’t eye-watering by any means, the 27-year-old has caught the eye with his versatility to play in multiple roles in the midfield, with his impressive range of passing complementing his work-rate to perfection.

To put things into perspective, defensive reinforcements continue to be a priority for Celtic even after the big-money acquisition of Jullien but the Hoops should also consider bolstering their midfield ranks.

Youssouf Mulumbu and Scott Allan have departed the club and Scott Brown isn’t getting any younger, while the Hoops are also having to brace themselves against approaches for the likes of Oliver Ntcham and Tom Rogic.

Even if they manage to keep hold of Ntcham and Rogic, Celtic should not hesitate to firm up their interest in Romaine Sawyers, given that the 27-year-old could possibly offer Lennon vital depth and cover in multiple areas of the pitch.

Plus, he is currently in the final year of his contract at Griffin Park, so the Hoops might as well look at the possibility of a cut-price deal. Considering his wealth of experience in League One and Championship, he won’t be much of a gamble for the reigning champions.

Looking at things from the player’s perspective, the prospect of a move north of the border to arguably one of the biggest clubs coupled with the lure of European football should appeal to Sawyers, who is entering his prime years at 27.

To Read More Celtic News, Click Here:- Latest Celtic News

All in all, this move looks likely to happen and Celtic should leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of the Brentford ace this summer, as the Hoops look to make it nine-in-a-row over arch-rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership next term.