Celtic must pay '£6m' to complete Alfie Devine deal - journalist
Celtic will have to pay a total package of £6million if they want to sign Tottenham Hotspur’s rising star Alfie Devine this summer transfer window.
The Hoops reportedly have “strong” links with the 21-year-old midfielder’s agent as they continue to monitor the youngster.
Devine was on loan at Preston North End last season, and the Championship club has an option to buy the Spurs youngster.
The deadline for a deal to be done is at midnight on 30 June, and if the Lilywhites fail to complete the signing, it could open the door for Celtic to do a deal.
Tottenham are currently aiming for a £4.5m fee, which could rise to £6m in potential add-ons.
Devine impressed while at Preston and made 45 appearances in the second tier, where he scored eight goals.
Alfie Devine will cost Celtic £6m
A deal for Devine would not be cheap, but he could go a long way to replacing some of the expected departures at Celtic this summer.
The futures of Arne Engels and Reo Hatate have been heavily speculated upon in recent months, with a midfield overhaul expected this summer.
Alan Nixon’s reported £6m fee for the 21-year-old would make him one of the most expensive signings in Celtic’s history.
However, Devine clearly has potential and could one day be sold on for a significant profit.
If someone like Engels does depart, there is no doubt that the Hoops have the funds to complete the deal this summer.
Nevertheless, as it stands, a transfer to Parkhead is dependent on what Preston chooses to do over the next two days.
How good is Devine?
According to Fotmob on 29 June, Devine was one of the best attacking midfielders in the Championship last season.
Per 90 minutes, he was averaging 0.23 goals, a 0.21 xG, 2.42 shots, 0.17 assists, a 0.20 xA, 1.47 chances created and 2.71 touches in the opposition box.
This helped him pick up not only eight goals in the second tier but also register six assists.
Preston would go on to finish 14th in the Championship with Devine, 13 points off the playoffs and 14 points from the relegation zone.