Chris Sutton has called on Celtic to pursue former player Stuart Armstrong, suggesting he could be an ideal replacement for the retired Aaron Mooy.
Aaron Mooy was in Glasgow for a season, before he decided it was his time to hang up his boots.
Armstrong, who previously excelled under Brendan Rodgers during his first stint at Celtic, became a free agent last week after his contract with Southampton expired.
While there have been no direct links to Celtic this transfer window, with interest from clubs like Fulham and Fiorentina, Sutton sees a prime opportunity for the Hoops.
In his column for the Daily Record, Sutton emphasised Armstrong’s potential value to Celtic, especially given the uncertainty surrounding Matt O’Riley, who has attracted interest from numerous clubs.
“Armstrong is a free agent and that could balance out some of the issues over wages. But he is another one who won’t be short of offers this summer. He has been a very good player for Southampton and I’d expect a queue of clubs at the top end of the Championship who would love to have him on board.
“Armstrong might be 32 years old now, but he looks after himself and has plenty left in the tank. He would be a very good signing for Celtic, perhaps one that could fill the void left by Aaron Mooy last year. I’ve said before that we shouldn’t assume Matt O’Riley is going, but Celtic will still need another attacking midfielder.
“Talks are ongoing with Paulo Bernardo and if they can land him from Benfica at a knockdown price, then it would be smart business. As for Armstrong, a ready-made player would be an attractive prospect, especially on a free, but is he someone the club would push the boat out to land?
“He’s not a player that fits the young developmental model, but you do need to add experience at times – like we saw with Joe Hart.”
Bringing Armstrong back wouldn’t be the worst move from the club, but the likeliness of it happening isn’t very high. He’ll likely end up at a bottom-half Premier League side or a top Championship side if he doesn’t pursue a move abroad.
After Scotland are finished at the Euros, his future will become clearer.
