James Penrice a viable Celtic alternative amid Taylor stalemate | OneFootball

With all the chatter surrounding the left-back spot at the moment and the pursuit of Kieran Tierney and the fallout with Greg Taylor’s contract, other options may be required to look at if Taylor and the club can’t come to a compromise on new terms for the Scotland international…

Kieran Tierney and Brendan Rodgers share a joke ahead of the Celtic Training Session prior to the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Bayern Munich on October 30, 2017. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

It’s believed the parties are too far apart in their valuation of the former Kilmarnock man’s worth, whilst there is also speculation Greg wants to play every week.

Greg Taylor at the final whistle with Dundee United goalkeeper Jack Walton after the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park, on 8th January 2025. (Photo Mark Runnacles)

Tierney deal more likely

Of course, during the course of a season there would be more than enough games to share the burden between two players but that remains to be seen if it will be Tierney and Taylor. The Tierney deal looks more and more like one that all parties want to get over the line and Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports confirmed that talks had been progressing well by all accounts.

Whilst that is always good news, we have to safeguard the team and squad by ensuring that if and when Kieran returns to the club that we have an able deputy to help manage the former academy graduate’s minutes, ensuring his body isn’t ravaged like the last time he was at the club; virtually playing every minute of every game under Rodgers, due to a lack of further investment in that area of the playing staff.

Celtic v Hearts, Scottish Premiership 14/09/2024. James Penrice of Hearts closes down Nicolas Kuhn of Celtic during the match at Celtic Park on 14 September 2024. Photo Malcolm Mackenzie/PSI

James Penrice from Hearts could be a solution

With this in mind, the club could do a lot worse than bring in James Penrice from Hearts if Greg decides to seek pastures new and decline a contract extension. The man who was signed from Livingston has gone from strength-to-strength in the Scottish Premiership and has been one of the few bright sparks in a rather dismal season for the Jambos.

At 26-years-old, the left-back is no longer a project and whilst he has largely only played domestically that’s where he would most likely be used if he were to be Tierney’s understudy. He shows great athleticism and desire on the left-hand side and that is a key feature of any player who is to play in a Brendan Rodgers team. He’s also had European exposure too, featuring in Hearts’ UEFA Conference League group stage campaign.

Celtic v Livingston – Premiership – Celtic Park Livingston s James Penrice and Kyogo Furuhashi battle for the ball during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park on Wednesday February 1, 2023. Photo Andrew Milligan

Penrice could be a very attractive alternative

All of this factored in alongside the fact that he would help with the homegrown quota if Taylor left the club, whilst not costing us the world, means that Penrice could be a very attractive option for the club if our current number 3 decided to try something different in his career.

We could do worse…

Paul Gillespie

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