Celtic join Premier League clubs in race for Blackburn Rovers star | OneFootball

Celtic are the latest club to be credited with an interest in Blackburn Rovers star Sammie Szmodics this summer.

Previously, Premier League clubs such as Brentford and Fulham have been linked with the Republic of Ireland international, but they now face competition from the Scottish giants.

Celtic keen on Blackburn Rovers' Sammie Szmodics

The Hoops interest in Szmodics has been reported by Football Insider, with Pete O'Rourke claiming that they will battle Brentford for the player's signature this summer.

As well as Brentford, other bottom half clubs are said to be keen on Szmodics, according to the report.

This is, of course, not the first time that Brentford have been linked with a move for the attacker this season and ahead of the summer.

An article earlier this month from The Sun claimed that Szmodics was on the Bees' radar as they plan for life after Ivan Toney, with the latter expected to depart the club this summer.

The report detailed that Brentford boss Thomas Frank's top scout watched Szmodics in action recently, seeing the 28-year-old score in a 1-1 draw with Millwall on March 5th.

Brentford are not the only side to scout Szmodics in action, though, with The Sun, in a seprate, later report, revealing that Fulham scouts have also been keeping track of the Republic of Ireland international.

The Sun

It is perhaps unsurprising that there is so much interest in Szmodics' signature ahead of the summer given the season that he is having at Blackburn Rovers.

Having played 37 times in the second tier this season, the 28-year-old has netted a remarkable 21 goals so far this campaign, making him the division's top scorer at present, ahead of the likes of Adam Armstrong, Morgan Whittaker, Crysencio Summerville and Jack Clarke.

Szmodics also has a further six goals to his name in the FA Cup, having played in just three rounds of the competition for Rovers.

With three Championship assists, too, Szmodics' total goal contributions in all competitions currently stand at 30.

For comparison, last season, Szmodics scored just seven goals in all competitions.

What is perhaps most impressive about his huge improvement this campaign, though, is the fact that he is doing it in a struggling Blackburn side.

Ahead of Easter Monday's clash away at Sunderland, Rovers are currently hovering just above the relegation zone in 19th place.

John Eustace's side are just three points ahead of Sheffield Wednesday in 23rd, and Huddersfield Town in 22nd, with Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle a buffer between themselves and the drop zone at present.

Worryingly, the club are winless in their last nine league matches, ten if you include the club's FA Cup 5th round defeat to Newcastle United, making relegation a real worry.