Craig Dawson
According to The Mirror, Celtic are plotting a move for West Bromwich Albion defender Craig Dawson. The 28-year-old centre-back could depart the Hawthorns this summer, following the Baggies’ relegation to the Championship. Since joining West Brom from Rochdale in 2010, Dawson has made over 150 Premier League appearances for the club.
Dawson was among West Brom’s outstanding performers last season, as Darren Moore’s charges suffered the drop from the Premier League. He has also shown in previous campaigns that he is quite an underrated defender in England.
The versatile 28-year-old can play either as a centre-back or a right-back. He has been training away from the first team (h/t The Mirror), understandably trying to push for a move away. The report further states that besides Celtic, Burnley and Leicester City have also shown interest in Dawson. The centre-back has two years remaining on his contract current and according to Sky Sports, he is valued at £20million.
The defender would be a fine addition to Celtic’s squad. He would represent a momentous improvement on the Bhoys’ current options in either position. The former England Under-21 international would be a huge upgrade on the likes of Mikael Lustig, Jozo Simunovic and even Dedryck Boyata.
The trio endured a poor season at Parkhead in 2017/18. In comparison, Dawson could be a better fit for Brendan Rodgers’ side, as he is more comfortable in possession, providing the West Brom man with a major advantage over Boyata. If Dawson does move north this summer, his partnership with Kristoffer Ajer could be brilliant.
The Scottish champions need to strengthen their central defensive options if they are to win their 8th successive league title and progress in Europe. And to that end, signing Dawson would prove to be a shrewd move.
The 6ft 2in star is a proper defender, strong in the air and often puts his body on the line for his team. He has 12 goals in 180 appearances for West Brom, which proves that he is a threat in the opposition box as well.
The Bhoys have struggled to find an effective replacement for Virgil van Dijk since he left for Southampton in 2015. Having kept Jonny Evans out of the Baggies’ defence towards the end of the 2017/18 campaign, Dawson would be Celtic’s best bet.
Hence, Brendan Rodgers must either break the club’s transfer record or negotiate to pay less and get his man. There would also be the issue of wages, however. According to Spotrac, Dawson currently earns £40,000-a-week at the Hawthorns.
