Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes that Celtic will have to reach a “compromise” with Tottenham Hotspur if they are to sign defender Cameron Carter-Vickers on a permanent deal in January.
The centre-back has emerged as a key player under the management of Ange Postecoglou this season, having arrived on loan in the summer transfer window.
What’s the latest with Celtic?
The club are losing ground in the Scottish Premiership title race.
This season, they have lost three times in the league and have also drawn three times, and those slip ups have seen Celtic fall six points behind leaders and bitter rivals Rangers.
They did beat St Johnstone 3-1 on Boxing Day but their result before that was a 0-0 draw with St Mirren, seemingly hurting their chances of reclaiming the title that they lost last season, when Rangers went unbeaten under the management of Steven Gerrard.
Celtic have won the Scottish League Cup, though, beating Hibernian 2-1 in the final, but it is perhaps understandable that they are looking to sign Carter-Vickers permanently in January.
Reports suggest that Postecoglou is desperate to secure the Spurs man’s signature on a permanent basis, as he has played 23 times in all competitions, even scoring twice in the league and registering an assist.
However, O’Rourke has now suggested that Spurs could demand as much as £10m to allow Carter-Vickers to move to Celtic Park, and he believes that the two clubs will have to reach a compromise this month if a deal is to be done.
What did he say?
Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke said: "Celtic would love to keep him on a permanent basis.
"He is on decent money as well from his time at Tottenham and, again, £10 million would be out of Celtic's price range right now but I'm sure the two clubs will be seeing if there's a compromise."
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Can a deal be done?
It seems like it can provided the two clubs are willing to negotiate, and one has to think they will be able to.
Carter-Vickers has never pulled up any trees in north London at all and has made a total of five first-team appearances for the club, with the last coming in the Europa Conference League qualifying defeat to Pacos de Ferreira.
He has been out on a clutch of loan deals, playing for Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Swansea City, Stoke City, Luton Town and AFC Bournemouth prior to moving to Celtic.
It is clear that Spurs simply don’t need him and it would be foolish of them not to accept any kind of bid for him.
He has found a club where he looks happy and is performing exceptionally well; Spurs ought to let him move to Celtic permanently, whatever kind of bid lands for him.