Celtic are considering a move for former Crystal Palace midfielder and free agent James McCarthy, the Daily Mail reports.
What's the latest transfer news on James McCarthy?
The report discloses that the club are thinking about swooping for the boyhood Celtic fan, who has earned 43 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
The 30-year-old is available for free after leaving Crystal Palace when his contract expired at the end of last season.
How did McCarthy perform last season?
McCarthy, who is central or defensive midfielder, was in and out of the Palace first-team last season. He was limited to only 17 first-team appearances, making 11 starts in those games.
If McCarthy wants to play first-team football on a regular basis, then perhaps Celtic could provide that.
Which other signings could Celtic make this week?
Celtic are really in need of some new arrivals in the next week, to try and get what has been a difficult start to the season back on track.
So far, the Hoops have played three competitive games and are yet to win any. A return to winning ways could come with some new signings added to the squad, which could possibly give the side some extra impetus.
One such area where it seems that Celtic will make a new signing is in goal. The Hoops have been linked with a move for veteran Tottenham goalkeeper Joe Hart. As covered by GIVEMESPORT, the Daily Record reported that Celtic will need to pay £1m to sign the 34-year-old.
With the departure of Olivier Ntcham over the weekend, the Hoops will likely need to sign another midfielder even if McCarthy does join the club.
Could McCarthy be Celtic's Scott Brown replacement?
One player who has been missed by Celtic so far this season is former captain Scott Brown. Brown ended a massively successful 15 year spell at the Hoops in the summer by joining Aberdeen.
That move is already paying off for the Dons, who defeated Dundee United 2-0 in their first league game of the season. Celtic's midfield has missed Brown's presence in the three competitive games the team has played so far this season, while the whole side have clearly struggled without his leadership.
Perhaps McCarthy can be Brown's replacement in midfield. He offers a similar kind of dogged physicality and the Irishman's many years of first-team football could also help current Celtic midfielders Ismaila Soro and David Turnbull, who, experience wise, are very much at the start of their careers.