MARVIN HAGGLER
Rodgers eyeing swoop for Red Bull stopper at knockdown £1M price
BRENDAN RODGERS has put Leipzig centre half Marvin Compper at the top of his January wishlist as he looks to bolster his Celtic backline for the run-in.
The Hoops boss is ready to pounce in the New Year after being made aware the German stopper was available for a knockdown fee of around £1m.
Compper would be ineligible for Celtic’s Europa League last 32 clash with Zenit St Petersburg as he played in the Champions League with RB Leipzig and the Germans have dropped down in to the same competition as the Parkhead men.
But Rodgers is determined to bring in rearguard reinforcements after watching centre back regulars Jozo Simunovic, Dedryck Boyata and Erik Sviatchenko struggle with injuries in the first half of the campaign.
Compper – who was capped by Germany against England in 2008 – fits the bill as he was was a mainstay of the Leipzig side who won promotion to the top flight and finished second last term.
But the 32-year-old has struggled to stay in the side this season and been restricted to just three appearances - including the last 25 minutes of Champions League clash with Besiktas.
The former Borussia Monchengladbach, Hoffenheim and Fiorentina man was also watched at the weekend when he came off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Mainz.
Rodgers is getting ready to snap the experienced defender up when the window opens in the New Year but it is understood the Parkhead gaffer is not pursuing a move for Astana attacker Patrick Tuwamasi.
The Celtic boss is looking to strengthen his squad after landing
Russian big guns Zenit in the last 32 in yesterday’s Europa League draw in Nyon.
Rodgers admitted Celts have landed a tough tie against the side that defeated Rangers under former Gers boss Dick Advocaat in the UEFA Cup Final in 2008. He said: “It’s a good draw. Whoever we were going to get, a lot of the teams were going to be exciting, tough games for us. It’s brilliant. It is a wonderful city. “Thankfully for us, it’s a bit of time away so it gives us a period to hopefully be a better team when we get around to playing them. “I haven’t really been so aware of them in recent years as what I will be now of course. “I think they are doing OK in their league. They have a few experienced players and I remember Branislav Ivanovic from Chelsea, who is there. “We are delighted to be in the draw, it is a really exciting game for us.”