Alfie Devine to Celtic latest as boost arrives over Tottenham transfer raid

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image

The Tottenham player has transfer interest from Celtic and clubs in England.

Sign up to our GlasgowWorld Today newsletter

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to GlasgowWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.

Submitting...

Celtic have received a boost in pursuit of a Tottenham player after his option to buy at an English Championship team expired.

Alfie Devine shone on loan for Preston North End last season and it has attracted several suitors. Southampton are amongst the latest to join the line according to transfer journalist Alan Nixon after Preston failed to hit their deadline to sign Devine permanently following the conclusion of his loan.

That has opened the doors to others swooping in and Celtic are reportedly one of the teams involved. Both Preston and Southampton are also interested in Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny but that would include both of them moving across funds they would send to Tottenham to sign playmaker Devine on a permanent basis.

Who wants to sign Alfie Devine from Tottenham this summer transfer window?

Nixon states via Patreon: “Southampton and Preston have joined the chase for Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny. Saints are looking at Devenny as a possible arrival as Shea Charles nears a departure. Ironically Southampton are one of the clubs keen on Alfie Devine, who missed a deadline to sign for Preston after a season on loan from Spurs.

“Meanwhile Preston are checking. They will not want to plunge all of the cash allocated for Devine on Devenny but they are keen and would prefer a loan.”

Heckingbottom said of his Tottenham loanee earlier this month: “He's someone who can have big impact to a team. He gets the game, he's tactically good, he's bright. He might not talk to anyone until they talk to him about football; then he's engaged.

What level of interest do Celtic have in Alfie Devine?

“He's a football fan, he understands it... from a coach's point of view it's good. He's willing to do the work without the ball. He's learning more about himself and he's managed himself, in games, to stay integrated - it can't just be when you're on the ball. So yeah, I think he's made big improvements and I think he'll improve again.”

Transfer journalist Pete O’Rourke said this month on the Transfer Insider Podcast: "Alfie Devine is a player that Celtic have been tracking for a while. Martin O'Neill and his coaching staff have made regular scouting trips to watch Devine in action for Preston last season. He's a very good young player, he's gone back to Tottenham now and it does look like Tottenham would be open to letting him leave on a permanent basis for the right offer.

"Martin O'Neill will be hoping to get backing from the Celtic board to strengthen the squad because they've had a slow start to the market so far. If there's opportunity to sign Devine, it's something that he would hope the club would go forward with because he ticks a lot of boxes for Celtic. He's still only 21, player with huge potential for development as well. And it's an area of the team that Celtic are definitely going to have to add to in the summer."

Source