Former Leicester City full-back Danny Simpson has revealed that he nearly joined Celtic in 2019 after Brendan Rodgers helped facilitate a transfer. The English defender was part of the Premier League-winning side in 2016 that saw Claudio Ranieri’s side clinch the unlikeliest of titles.
Speaking to Under the Cosh, Simpson revealed that a deal was almost done and he was close to arriving on a three-year deal.
“It was a bit of a mess that summer (2019), to be honest with you. a couple of things didn’t work out. I was going to sign for Celtic, three years with Neil Lennon all sorted and boxed off.
“I was leaving Leicester and Brendan helped with that because he left Celtic and he knew everyone and he said ‘Danny would be great’. It ticked all of my boxes leaving Leicester for Celtic, but it fell through and other clubs had then signed right-backs.”
It was a near miss for Celtic for a number of reasons. Firstly, Simpson was convicted in 2015 of an assault on his ex-partner. This was an issue that was raised at the time of the transfer rumour. Secondly, at 31, Simpson had reached the apex of his career and was sliding down away from the full-back that had impressed in the Championship with The Foxes.
The full-back’s career path following Rodgers’ decision to release him is telling. Simpson went to Huddersfield and Bristol City. Celtic instead signed Hatem Abd Elhamed, Jeremie Frimpong and Moritz Bauer to occupy the right-back role with the former pair dominating the role under Neil Lennon.
