Everton could be set to rival Celtic for the signature of Aurelio Buta from Royal Antwerp. The right-back has been listed as one of Ange Postecoglou’s options over the course of the window but the trail has gone cold on the player. According to Sun Sport, Rafa Benitez’s Toffees are set to launch a move for the defender.
The report also states that Celtic have had a £1m bid rebuffed but according to the Daily Record’s Scott Burns, a deal had all but been agreed. It would be poor from a Celtic point of view if one of the apparent top targets slipped away. Benitez is said to be unconvinced by ex-Celtic trialist Seamus Coleman and former Parkhead loanee Jonjoe Kenny.
The 24-year-old still has a year left at the Belgian club but the Portuguese full-back would be an impressive acquisition for the Parkhead side and Celtic know that he will be available for £3m. Ange Postecoglou is keen on bringing the right-back to the club and the reports in recent weeks seem to indicate that a move is close for the ex-Portuguese U20 Internationalist, he just states that a deal is yet to be agreed.
Postecoglou and new CEO Dominic McKay inherited a considerable mess from Neil Lennon and Peter Lawwell after the last season and the lack of investment in the backline, excluding Starfelt, has been worrying. A right-back, another central defender and a winger are required as soon as possible and the duo, who arrived in the summer, need to arrest the situation and make sure that they are getting quality bodies in the door. Buta would be a start so Celtic must not miss out on a deal to Everton.
I think he used celtic and knew someone was coming in a lot of negotiations wasted Everton feeling the pinch must be a big disappointment to fans tv money dwindling away they have not got much from clubs season books to keep up with massive wages down sizing big time not sour grapes cause after one week you could see we were getting used