Celtic and Rangers are allegedly vying for the signature of Nottingham Forest defender Scott McKenna.
The 27-year-old is said to have been barred from first-team training at Forest last month and has been told he is free to leave the club during the January transfer window.
McKenna arrived to the City Ground from Aberdeen in September 2020 and helped the team gain promotion from the Championship in 2022.
The Scotland international, who has made a total of 105 appearances for Forest in all competitions, fractured his collarbone in April which ruled him out for the rest of the season.
McKenna has since failed to establish himself as a first-team regular at the City Ground this term having played in just five Premier League games.
All five top-flight outings took place in Forest’s first five fixtures of the 2023-24 campaign, including his last in a 1-1 draw against Burnley on September 18.
McKenna has been tipped to return to his homeland in search of regular first-team football, with Sky Sports News reporting that both Celtic and Rangers are interested in signing the left-footed defender.
The report adds that McKenna could move to either club on an initial loan deal, with a view to signing on a free transfer in the summer when his contract at Forest expires on June 30.
It is understood that Celtic are currently in pole position to win the race for McKenna’s signature, with Brendan Rodgers keen to bolster his defensive options this month.
Celtic are a man light in the centre-back department after Nat Phillips was recalled from his loan spell at Parkhead by parent club Liverpool earlier this week.
Phillips apparently had the chance to prolong his temporary stay at Celtic, but the decision was made for him to return to Anfield after only eight appearances for the Hoops in all competitions.
Rodgers’ first-choice center-back combination this season has been Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales, with Gustaf Lagerbielke, Maik Nawrocki, and Stephen Welsh all seeing action.
Rangers’ main left-footed centre-back option is Ben Davies, although he has only started four Premiership games this season, while Connor Goldson, John Souttar, and Leon Balogun have played more often at the back.
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