Neil McCann confirms Celtic’s interest in Jack Hendry

Dundee manager Neil McCann has confirmed that Celtic are interested in his defender Jack Hendry, but says that the Scottish champions are yet to make a formal bid for the 22-year-old.

Celtic are hoping to add defensive reinforcements during the transfer window and Hendry has been a much discussed target but the Hoops have yet to submit any offers for him.

As reported by Sky Sports, McCann said:

I would be lying if I said there wasn’t interest there. I know there is interest from a number of club. We haven’t had anything that has turned our heads whatsoever in terms of bids. [Celtic] have shown an interest but there’s not been anything [bids] there. It is no surprise to me. We have a number of players who have caught the eye of a lot of clubs, I would imagine.

The Dundee boss also made it clear that his club would not simply let the defender leave for cheap, insisting that they would need to be well compensated for finding and developing Hendry to a point where a Champions League club are interested in signing him.

He said:

I am not in a position where I am just going to sit here and let my players go freely out the door with a pat on the back. It has to be enough that the club has been rewarded for finding Jack, bringing him here, giving him a platform as we have done with all the players to go and express themselves with a bravery, that if they make mistakes I am not going to hound them for it if I have asked them to play it. I think that has highlighted the qualities of a number of players here. Again, it would have to be a big fee to let Jack Hendry go for this club because he is part of something that I am trying to do here.

Celtic have been linked with numerous defenders already this month so time will tell which of those they choose to actively pursue ahead of what it sure to be a busy second half to the season.