Celtic are battling with Bristol City for the signature of Oxford Town’s Rob Atkinson. The 22-year-old was included in the League One Team of the Season but could not help The U’s gain promotion. Now, journalist Alan Nixon has said that Ange Postecoglou’s Hoops and Nigel Pearson’s Bristol are interested in signing him for £1.6m.
Bristol City. Getting closer to Oxford valuation for Rob Atkinson. Take around 1.6m. Celtic like him too.
— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) June 20, 2021
The player began his career in France before moving to Fulham’s youth team. The defender scored twice in 44 appearances and earned praises for his performances at the back. With Kris Ajer expected to leave, Celtic are in desperate need of quality central defenders to partner Christopher Jullien. Erik Sviatchenko has been suggested as making a return but a move for Atkinson could be prudent given the attributes that he has as well as the potential to improve.
Celtic have often taken some talent from England’s emerging talent pool. Postecoglou has been working away while being in quarantine but now he will be arriving at Lennoxtown on Monday to assess the options available to him.
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You want to bring New players kevin Nisbet from Hibs, Stuart Armstong, Frazer Forster from Southampton
A left footed centre half who likes to bring the ball out from the back and break the lines, appears he has his defensive deficiencies and doesn’t always read the game too well, but considering he’s only really played one full season of league football you could put that down to a touch of inexperience. Oxford United sold Rob Dickie to QPR for around 1.8million plus a sell on fee etc last summer and this lad was the replacement. Dickie could be looking at a Premier League move this summer, a similar deal would – you’d assume – pique the interest of Oxford. They already signed Luke McNally from St Patricks a year ago so they knew Atkinson would be moving on and had planned ahead. Novel idea! This sort of signing could be the sort we are priced out of within a year, as a ball playing centre half Ange P rather than Nigel Pearson at Bristol City would surely appeal to the player, with the experience of Jullien and/or Sviatchenko alongside this deal makes a lot of sense.