Celtic are yet to make their first signing of the summer transfer window but still have just under two months left to do any incoming business they want to do.
The Hoops won the domestic double, lifting the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup, during the 2023/24 campaign and could still look to improve their squad to secure more silverware next term.
A new number one is on the agenda for the Bhoys after Joe Hart's retirement, with Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka and Croatia star Dominik Livakovic linked with moves to Parkhead to be Brendan Rodgers' first-choice.
There could also be some changes in the backline for the Scottish giants as the Northern Irish boss could shake up his central defender options.
Celtic's possible centre-back shuffle
Football Insider recently reported that Sweden international Gustaf Lagerbielke is poised to move on from Parkhead before the end of the window.
The outlet did not reveal, however, any current interest from teams or how much the Hoops would be prepared to sell him for, after paying £3m to sign the defender from Elfsborg last summer.
Celtic could ruthlessly ditch the Swedish dud over the coming weeks by securing a deal to sign an impressive free agent as his replacement.
The Daily Record have claimed that Scotland international Scott McKenna has been on Rodgers' radar for a 'long' time, which suggests that he may be a target for the club this month if they are in need of a centre-back.
Signing the left-footed titan would then free up the club to cash in on Lagerbielke, as they would have a central defender in the building to keep them covered in that position.
Why Scott McKenna would be a good signing for Celtic
Celtic should swoop to sign McKenna as he is an experienced and reliable centre-back who would also offer natural balance on the left side.
Liam Scales is the club's only naturally left-footed centre-back, with Stephen Welsh, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Lagerbielke, and Maik Naworcki all being naturally right-footed.
This means that the Scottish colossus could come in and provide Scales with competition for his place with his ability to play out from the back on his favoured foot.
Appearances
13
Pass accuracy
90%
Duel success rate
58%
Aerial duel success rate
65%
Error led to shot/goal
0
Penalties committed
0
As you can see in the table above, McKenna caught the eye during his loan spell with Kobenhavn during the second half of last season, as he completed a high percentage of his passes and was dominant in duels without making any major errors.
The 27-year-old titan, who was once dubbed "dominant" by analyst Chris Kearney, completed a higher percentage of his passes than Lagerbielke did (85%) in his seven outings in the Premiership.
Perhaps the 24-year-old dud's passing was an issue for Rodgers, hence his lack of game time, but that should not have come as a surprise after he completed 81% of his passes in the Swedish top-flight in 2023, which shows that he gifts the ball back to the opposition far more regularly than the Scottish enforcer.
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McKenna, therefore, could now come in as a free agent and offer reliability in possession and a natural left-footed option to play next to one of the right-footed defenders, which is why he could be a fantastic bargain signing to allow the club to brutally ditch Lagerbielke.
