Celtic in £1m Gamboa deal with Rodgers set to offload
Kris Commons could be on his way out of the Parkhead club
BRENDAN RODGERS, the Celtic manager, is preparing for a frantic end to the transfer window as right-back Cristian Gamboa is set to agree a £1million from West Bromwich Albion with more deals set to be done before Wednesday’s deadline.
Gamboa, 26, is an attacking defender who was a star for Costa Rica two years ago in the World Cup in Brazil, his country knocked out England in the group stages. He travelled to Glasgow on Monday afternoon for talks and a medical.
Rodgers moved for the player in the wake of Saidy Janko’s horror show in Israel against Hapoel Be’er Sheva. The Swiss has failed to prove himself over the last 12 months and the Celtic manager felt he needed reliable cover at right-back for Mikael Lustig.
It is understood that Rodgers, who will have signed five players once the Gamboa deal is finalised, remains on the look-out for one more quality addition before the window closes and the hope is that he can shift some of his fringe players out on loan.
Everton’s Republic of Ireland international James McCarthy remains an option, at least on a season-long loan, and the Celtic manager has funds at his disposal due to the club’s upcoming involvement in the Champions League. Stefan Johansen’s £2m move to Fulham was completed on Friday and that money is now available to Rodgers on top of the funds which were already there.
Gamboa, a £2m signing from Rosenborg in 2014, was unable to get into the West Brom team since Tony Pulis became manager at the club in January last year. He made only three first-team appearances in the previous campaign.
Moussa Dembele, Kolo Toure, Scott Sinclair and Dorus de Vries have been added since July and while a sixth signing could still happen, Rodgers also wants to reduce his squad by either selling or loaning out players who are not going to get much of a look-in this season.
Efe Ambrose is almost certain to be sold, with Reading a possible destination for the luckless defender, while Gary Mackay-Steven, Stuart Armstrong, Nadir Ciftci, Kris Commons, who is still injured and Liam Henderson are among those who could be moved on.
None of these players were involved even on the bench for Saturday’s win over Aberdeen and it is unlikely any of them will feature much over the coming months for a variety of reasons, even Commons when he is fit again.
Ross County remain interested in Mackay-Steven on a loan deal, while a return to Hibernian for a season could be on the cards for Henderson, although the midfielder has caught the eye of Rodgers.
“The squad is still too big,” admitted the Celtic manager at the weekend. “The problem we have is lots of players are really enjoying it, there’s a real high level in training and the intensity is good.
“We can see the other players getting fitter and stronger but unfortunately it’s the players who know they are getting limited games and it will be their decision over the coming days.”
Meanwhile, Leigh Griffiths has opened up on his decision to he dedicate his opening goal in the 4-1 victory over Aberdeen to tragic supporter Kieran McDade.
The 13-year-old died last week after he collapsed during football training for Dunbeth Football Club in Coatbridge on August 18.
Griffiths spent time with the boy’s family prior to kick off on Saturday and ran to the other end of the pitch to hold up a t-shirt which read RIP Kieran 13 after scoring the game’s opening goal in the 13th minute.
He said: “Anytime I get in within that range of 20-25 yards and I’m near enough the centre of the goal, I only have one thought in my mind – try and hit the target, and thankfully I put it beyond the goalie’s reach and into the net.
“The boys knew I had the t-shirt there. I was going to put it up the other end if we scored but it was just a fitting tribute to put it behind the other goal.
“Thankfully, I scored in the 13th minute which was the boy’s age. It was a real shame for his family. They came into reception and I have to give everyone credit, including the gaffer, for allowing that to happen just before the game.
“They came in and met the manager and a few of the players and they managed to enjoy the game and hopefully the wee man is up in the sky looking down, smiling that we got three points.
In truth, the margin of victory was greater than the performance suggested it should be but Griffiths said he felt Celtic deserved it for the performance of the back four.
“Everybody is talking about Celtic and Rangers but Aberdeen are a decent side,” he added. “For them to come down here and for us to beat them 4-1, even though we scored two late goals, we dominated large parts of the game and they never really caused Dorus any problems. The back four coped really well and going forward we were always looking like a threat.”