Exclusive: Major Jordan Rhodes transfer development
Wigan Athletic have made the first move in the race with Celtic to prise Jordan Rhodes from Sheffield Wednesday this month, Football Insider has learned.
The Hoops are monitoring the situation of the striker, 29, as they weigh up a loan for the rest of the season.
A Wednesday source has told Football Insider that Wigan have been in contact to make an enquiry about signing Rhodes on loan.
Football Insider revealed last month that Wednesday were not interested in offloading Rhodes in the current window, as manager Garry Monk subsequently corroborated.
That stance remains unchanged even though Rhodes has started only four league matches this season.
Celtic are in the market for a new centre-forward to back up main man Odsonne Edouard.
Neil Lennon was forced to convert Lewis Morgan from a winger to central striker during Edouard’s injury absence last month, with more orthodox spearheads Leigh Griffiths and Vakoun Issouf Bayo both struggling for fitness.
Both the Scottish champions and Wigan regard Rhodes as a striker capable of making a big impact in the second half of the campaign.
The 14-times Scotland international has been prolific at Championship and League One level in English football, with 108 goals from 285 matches in the second tier and 70 goals from 122 appearances in the third tier.
Rhodes has appeared in Wednesday’s last seven matches, although he has been used as a substitute in the last two.
He scored a hat-trick against Nottingham Forest on 14 December, but those are his only goals from 13 games this season.
In other Celtic news, it can be REVEALED that talks are beginning over deal for England-based striker who banged in two goals on New Year’s Day.