THAT’S RILEY BAD TIMING
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when in charge of the Socceroos – after an initial £2m fee was accepted by the MLS side. The deal looked set to be rubberstamped but McGree did a U-turn after Boro returned to the table.
Chris Wilder’s Championship outfit have been chasing the former Birmingham loan star for months and they upped their bid to secure the playmaker after offering £2.5m up front and double the amount in add-ons – plus a wage touching £20,000 per week.
McGree is understood to have had his medical on Teesside yesterday and the move is set to be sealed in the next 24 hours barring any more lastminute twists.
Celts were keen on the kid but the skyrocketing fee blasted above their valuation and Postecoglou will now focus attention on other targets.
He has drafted in Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Icheguchi from Japan in deals worth up to £6m and also added promising Irish youngster Johnny Kenny.
The Aussie is close to nailing down a permanent deal for attacker Jota while talks with on-loan Spurs defender Cameron CarterVickers’ representatives are underway over a fulltime switch to Parkhead.
Postecoglou is still in the market to further bolster his squad and has been linked with Iranian attacker Mehdi Ghayedi, who is currently attracting attention at Shabab Al-Ahli in the United Arab Emirates.
AZ Alkmaar’s Albert Guomundsson has been touted as well, as the Iceland midfielder moves into the final six months of his contract in Holland.
Celts have also been credited with interest in Algeria midfielder Ahmed Kendouci.
The Hoops reportedly asked former Rangers star Madjid Bougherra for the lowdown on the 22-year-old.
Celtic have been linked in Algeria with a move for Kendouci who plays for Entente de Setif.
And the rampant speculation has caused his club’s manager, Nabil Kouki, to insist the club don’t sell – with Setif just two points off the top of their league and hunting the Ligue Professionnelle 1 title.
He said: “Last season, we missed out on the championship because we sold important players in the transfer window.
“I very much hope and expect that it won’t happen this time.”
Algerian outlets reported Celtic had even contacted Bougherra – who played at Ibrox for three years and is now a coach with the African nation – for info on the playmaker.
Kendouci, who has two years left of his deal and is valued at £1m, has been capped once for his country but didn’t make the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.