TWO former Celtic international stars, Charlie Mulgrew and David Marshall, are on the move this week.
Versatile defender Mulgrew, who turned down a new deal on reduced terms at the Hoops at the end of the season, is heading for Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers.
And goalkeeper Marshall will quit Cardiff City after agreeing a £5million move to Premier League new boys Hull City.
Brendan Rodgers allowed Mulgrew training facilities at Lennoxtown as the 30-year-old searched for a new club in the summer.
Ewood Park boss Owen Coyle, looking for a replacement for Republic of Ireland centre-half Shane Duffy who joined Brighton last week, has made a move as he attempts to shore up his side’s rocky rearguard. Duffy was a target for Brendan Rodgers in July but the Celtic interested cooled ahead of his eventual start to the season which included being sent off, scoring three own goals and getting his move to Brighton from the Championship strugglers Blackburn.
Marshall, 31, completed the formalities yesterday and, ironically, will take over from Scotland colleague Allan McGregor, who is injured and likely to be out until the turn of the year.
The former Hoops No.1, who quit Parkhead for Norwich City in 2007 after being dislodged by Artur Boruc, has penned a three-year contract at Hull.
Marshall and Celtic’s Craig Gordon will fight it out to see who plays for Scotland in the nation’s opening World Cup-tie in Malta on Sunday.
Another former Celt, Jason Denayer is also likely to be on the move today with Galatasaray and Sunderland leading the chase to sign the Belgian defender who won the Young Player of the Year in Scotland while on loan at Celtic.
Southampton are among the other options the player has and this would mean that Deanayer would team up once again with Virgil van Dijk in the heart of the Saints defence.
Belgian sports journalist Sven Claes confirmed to CQN last night that a move back to Celtic was ‘not an op
tion’ for Denayer who was ready to return to Glasgow last summer IF Celtic had reached the Champions League Group Stages.
tion’ for Denayer who was ready to return to Glasgow last summer IF Celtic had reached the Champions League Group Stages.Manchester City started the week saying they wanted to keep the player, who disappointed in the Euros in the summer, especially in the match with Wales. That position seems to have changed and there is even talk of a permanent move today rather than a third year out on loan.
It would be nice if Celtic could surprise everyone here, but it is as unlikely a Jack Wilshere arriving in Glasgow for a medical.
CQN reported yesterday that there was no basis in the rumours that James McCarthy was coming to Celtic. Looks like the player, who is currently injured, has been pulling a few legs while in Glasgow visiting family.
