CELTIC have failed in a record-breaking £5million move for Aberdeen centre-half Scott McKenna.
The Hoops, searching for defensive reinforcements, were knocked back for the second time inside a year for the Scotland international, according to a report in the Scottish Sun.
Brendan Rodgers rated the powerhouse pivot in the £3.5million bracket last summer, but the Dons were not interested in doing business at that price and insisted their evaluation of the 22-year-old star was a whopping £10million.
The Pittodrie outfit are refusing to budge on their price and also rejected offers from Aston Villa, Swansea and Hull City 12 months ago.
HELPLESS…Scott McKenna and his Dons mates can’t prevent Tom Rogic scoring Celtic’s third goal in last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final.
McKenna is under contract until 2023 and Pittodrie boss Derek McInnes and his board are adamant he is going nowhere unless their terms are met.
The eight-in-a-row champions are going into another crucial campaign extremely light on cover in the central defensive area with Dedryck Boyata heading for Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin and Filip Benkovic returning to Leicester City after his season-long loan.
Neil Lennon is now likely to look elsewhere with Toulouse’s Christopher Jullien and Chelsea’s Tomas Kalas on his radar.
The Hoops gaffer admitted: “It’s a priority area we’re looking to strengthen, no question. And we have a number of options that we’re running with at the minute.”
Ex-Celtic manager Gordon Strachan splashed out the current biggest domestic transfer fee in 2007 when he paid £4.4million to Hibs for skipper Scott Brown.
