After reports that Celtic will be potentially making a move for Australian International Aaron Mooy, today it’s another, less well known name we are being linking with. According to Scottish Sun, Celtic are poised to make a move to sign Shamrock Rovers star Danny Mandroiu in January.
The attacking midfielder, 23, only joined Rovers from Bohemians when the season started in March and it’s being reported that Celtic have been keeping a keen eye on the rising star since then. No sources are being quoted in this developing story but it’s believed the club are confident a deal can be struck in January.
Mandroiu has been in sensational form for Rovers this season, scoring 15 goals in total and even earned an Ireland call-up for the summer friendlies with Andorra and Hungary.
It’s understood Mandroiu’s goalscoring exploits has attracted interest from abroad, as well as Brighton. His contract with Shamrock Rovers expires next December meaning he could be available on an affordable deal.
It would be the second player Celtic will have poached from Shamrock Rovers this season, following the arrival of Liam Scales in August.The 23-year-old defender is in the same age group and has come through the Ireland youth ranks alongside him.
And the two are best mates, with Mandroiu paying tribute to him after he secured his move to Parkhead. According to the Daily Record he said: “I’ll miss him a lot to be fair, he’s helped me here. I’ve known him since we’ve played for Ireland together. I wish Liam the best, a great lad, nobody deserves it more than him,” he enthused.
“A lot of players go from this league. Don’t get me wrong, I’m taking it day by day, I’m not looking too far ahead but Liam is a prime example of what can happen if you play well and get your head down. I’m delighted for him.”
To be honest I’m not so sure there is much in these reports, it seems a little bit like the whole thing is based on hearsay, especially as there seems to be no sources involved. If there is more to it I think a lot of Celtic fans will be feeling underwhelmed.
Scales was supposedly one of the best players in the League of Ireland when he came in during the summer yet has been pretty much anonymous when it comes to game time so far. It’s hard to think that Mandroiu would make much more of an impact.
With Celtic’s majority shareholder Dermot Desmond having a 25 per cent stake at Rovers, having recently invested £2million, it would also raise questions around who was actually signing the player. Many thought, and still do, that Scales was signed under the authority of Desmond and that Ange himself wasn’t that interested in the player. Another player being signed from Shamrock Rovers will only strengthen these feelings.
Conall McGinty
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