CELTIC have agreed a season-long loan deal with Manchester United for 21-year-old centre-half Tyler Blackett.
The defender, who has played 11 first team games for the Old Trafford outfit, has the option of signing a permanent contract at the end of the campaign.
The Hoops are also in talks to land midfielder Ryan Christie from Inverness Caley Thistle – as was exclusively revealed on CQN yesterday.
Blackett, an England Under-21 cap, has also had recent temporary transfers at Birmingham and Blackpool, and looks to be on his way out at United.
That has alerted Ronny Deila, who have already snapped up his former Old Trafford team-mate Saidy Janko and Dedryck Boyata from their city rivals.
It means the Hoops will have a ready-made replacement if Virgil van Dijk quits the SPFL champions.
Southampton, knocked out of the Europa Cup on Thursday, have been linked with the cultured Dutchman since the last transfer window in January.
Deila added: “We bring in players who are prospects, who can be good.
“We are not bringing in players who have had a great career and who are coming here with that knowledge – we have to develop that.”
Expect more additions to the Celtic defence in the next few days…
