Celtic backed to beat Newcastle to sign Ajer replacement after transfer twist - Whelan
Noel Whelan has urged Celtic to go all out to beat Newcastle United in the battle to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers from Tottenham.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed the centre-back could replace Kristoffer Ajer this summer.
As revealed by Football Insider on Friday (July 9th), Newcastle have leapfrogged Celtic in the race to sign the 23-year-old from Tottenham.
Celtic were well placed to lure the USA international from north London but the Magpies' interest has thrown a spanner in the works.
This site has since detailed (July 10th) how Spurs are confident of securing a deal despite doubling Carter-Vickers' asking price to £5million.
Whelan suggested the Tottenham man would be perfect for Celtic.
"Let's not forget Celtic are going to be losing some centre-halves in Duffy and Ajer," Whelan told Football Insider's Russell Edge.
"So they're going to have to get the right defenders. He has everything. He's powerful, quick, aggressive and that's what you need, that competition.
"He's someone that's going to dominate centre forwards and someone who's going to be a leader out there as well. I don't think there were too many at the back.
"There was too much chopping and changing of personnel, too many people not being consistent enough.
"That's what let them down last season, that defensive ability to stop conceding set pieces and goals against lesser sides. Not your Rangers but your lesser sides where they've really struggled.
"Look at the array of talent they have going forward and in midfield when everyone's fit. That is a strong forward line. It's the backline that really struggled, collectively defending as a team.
"Defensively, there were too many mistakes."