CELTIC were finally rewarded for their persistence in pursuit of Scott Sinclair after the winger concluded a four-year deal with the Scottish champions. Having rejected four previous offers, Aston Villa finally accepted a bid on Friday night of around £3 million that could rise to £4.5m if certain criteria are met.
The 27-year-old underwent a medical in Glasgow yesterday before completing the formalities that will see him join up once more with manager Brendan Rodgers with whom he worked at both Swansea City and at Chelsea, where Sinclair was a youth prospect. The England under-21 international subsequently played for Manchester City – where he is reported to have earned in the region of £80,000 a week – and then Villa who he joined last year, initially on loan.
With Celtic now guaranteed European football until Christmas after reaching the Champions League play-off round, Patrick Roberts set to be sidelined for up to three weeks with a hamstring injury and Gary Mackay-Steven on the cusp of a loan move to Ross County, Rodgers has felt a need to improve his options in the wider areas of the team ahead of the crunch Champions League final qualifier against the Israeli side Hapoel Be’er-Sheva and Sinclair will fit that bill.
“Scott’s a player I know well,” said Rodgers. “I had him in at Chelsea when he was 16 out of Bristol Rovers. I know him probably as well as anyone and I know his qualities.”
The Bath-born player becomes the third signing of Rodgers’ tenure, following the previous captures of Moussa Dembele from Fulham and defender Kolo Toure, latterly of Liverpool. Celtic have also been linked with Blackburn Rovers’ Shane Duffy and a loan move for Manchester United’s Paddy McNair.
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