Celtic tracking Derby County man ahead of potential transfer swoop | OneFootball

Celtic are interested in a possible move for Derby County left-back Lee Buchanan, a report from a print edition of The Sun (24/10, p65) has claimed.

Amid Derby’s off-field financial problems, local rivals Nottingham Forest were reported to have bid for Buchanan during the summer transfer window, although ultimately no deal materialised.

Now however, it seems as though fresh interest could emerge in Buchanan, once the market opens again.

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According to this latest update, Celtic sent their top scout, Mick Doherty, to watch the full-back in action last week, with the Scottish giants said to consider Buchanan as a potential solution to their issues at left-back.

It is claimed that price would not be an issue for Celtic, were they to decide to make an offer to sign the 20-year-old.

A graduate of Derby’s academy, Buchanan has made a total of 57 first-team appearances in all competitions for the Rams, scoring once.

As things stand, there is just a year remaining on Buchanan’s current contract with Derby, although the club do have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, effectively securing his future at Pride Park until the summer of 2023.

The Verdict

It does feel as though it would be a big blow for Derby if Buchanan was to leave when the window reopens.

The Rams are already having to operate with a small squad as it is, so to lose an important player from that side would certainly be frustrating.

However, the financial situation at Derby at the minute, with the club currently in administration, could make it hard for them to reject an offer, should one come in.

Indeed, with the potential he possesses, and the fact he has plenty of time left in his career to improve, this could be a very smart piece of business from Celtic, should they be able to get it done.