Justin Devenny Emerges as Celtic Target – A Player Who Could Solve Two Problems at Once

Celtic’s search for more players continues, and another interesting name has now emerged.

Justin Devenny.

The Crystal Palace midfielder is reportedly attracting interest, with his versatility making him an intriguing option for Martin O’Neill. Devenny can operate in central midfield, attacking midfield and at left wing-back.

And for Celtic, there is another major attraction.

He counts as Scottish-trained.

Devenny was born in Irvine and came through Kilmarnock before moving to Airdrieonians, where he made 33 appearances in the Scottish Championship. He subsequently joined Crystal Palace in 2023.

That could be extremely useful for Celtic when it comes to putting together their European squad.

A Versatile Option

The obvious attraction is that Devenny isn’t restricted to one position.

He can play centrally.

He can play further forward.

He can operate from the left.

And that versatility could be incredibly valuable in a Celtic squad which is already dealing with injuries and trying to add depth across several positions.

With Kieran Tierney’s fitness becoming a concern, having someone capable of filling in at left wing-back could be particularly useful.

But he could also provide another body in midfield at a time when Celtic desperately need numbers and quality.

The Homegrown Factor Matters

This is the part supporters shouldn’t overlook.

Celtic have repeatedly found themselves having to juggle their European squad because of UEFA’s locally trained player requirements.

Adding a player who has been developed in Scotland gives O’Neill another option when constructing his squad.

And unlike simply signing a young Scottish player for the sake of meeting a quota, Devenny has already gained significant senior experience.

He has made more than 50 appearances for Palace and is now a Northern Ireland international, having earned 14 senior caps.

Could Celtic Bring Him Home?

That’s the interesting question.

Devenny is only 22 and still has a contract with Palace, so Celtic would need to convince the Premier League club that allowing him to leave makes sense.

There has already been reported interest from Southampton, Preston and Leicester, with Palace having faced questions over his future.

Celtic would therefore have competition.

But the opportunity is obvious.

A versatile midfielder who understands Scottish football, has Premier League experience, is an international and helps with the European squad rules?

That’s exactly the sort of signing Celtic should be looking at.

Especially now that the Champions League has disappeared and the squad needs strengthening for the Europa League.

If Devenny can provide genuine competition in midfield while also giving O’Neill another option on the left, this could be a very clever piece of business.