BRENDAN RODGERS believes that Celtic may be rewarded by taking a risk with prospective signing Moses Odubajo.
The 24-year-old has been out of action through injury for almost two years since suffering a horror knee injury, and he will leave Hull City when his contract expires at the end of the month.
The former Brentford prospect joined Celtic with his agent on their pre-season tour to Austria to discuss a possible move to Glasgow with Rodgers, and after watching his side record a routine 1-0 friendly over Vorwarts Steyr, the Celtic boss revealed that he is a huge admirer of the right-back.
And if Celtic can get him back to full fitness and near the form he showed that led Hull to splash out £3.5 million, Rodgers feels the club may just land a steal.
“In terms of overall there is no doubt we need to strengthen,” Rodgers said. “That is going to be vitally important for us.
“[Moses] is a boy we know and we have had a conversation with. It is nothing more than that. We are looking to develop our game and the way we work and his profile, when he was fully fit, was really exciting.
“He is coming back from a really awful injury. We are just taking the opportunity to have a chat to see where he is at and now we will take it from there. Moses if he is a fully fit player and up to speed then he is a big, big talent.
“I saw him [at Brentford] and he was an exceptional talent. He was a winger that has been turned into a full-back so his intent to get forward is there but he is also good defensively as well. That sort of player attracts us. We are looking to develop he squad.
“He has been out for two years, but we will see what happens over the next week. We got permission to speak but obviously there is a concern over the fitness.
“There is still a lot to go before that could happen, but it was just nice to talk him and see where he was at.”
Rodgers points to the example of Craig Gordon as what can happen when the club provide an opportunity for a player who is battling back from serious injury, and he says that should act as an inspiration for any player in such a situation.
“As a coach you have to look,” he said. “I have always been one to give opportunities whether it has been through injury or they have been discarded.
“You always have to weigh up the upside and the downside, but Craig is a great example of what can happen. He should be a great inspiration to any player.”
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