Filip Benkovic to Celtic latest: source suggests possible movement

The possibility of a loan move to Celtic for Leicester City’s Filip Benkovic has been given an intriguing twist with a source close to the player appearing to anticipate movement on this front.

Filip Benkovic celebrates at full time of Celtic's Scottish Cup final win of 2019 after he had played his part in the club's capture of a third straight treble as a loanee from Leicester City that sources believe he could become again. ( SNS Group Craig Foy).

The source confirmed to The Scotsman that, as City manager Brendan Rodgers has stated, no discussions on a return to Parkhead for the Croation centre-back have taken place, but was keen to add this was “not as yet”.

Benkovic, who moved from Dinamo Zagreb to the Midlands club in a £13m deal on August 2018 was immediately recruited by then Celtic manager Rodgers on a season-long loan deal. He made 27 appearances as the Glasgow club captured a third straight treble – Neil Lennon his manager for the closing months following Rodgers’ departure for Leicester – and is understood to be open to a return north.

Benkovic’s career has stalled since. Injuries initially hampered his hopes of making an impression before a fruitless loan deal to Cardiff City this season was cut short last month on the back of him featuring only once for the Welsh club.

A knee-ligament injury sustained by Christopher Jullien last week prompted Lennon to state the club would recruit a centre-back in this window. The position has become a problem area for the struggling Scottish champions as they have fallen 19 points behind Rangers. Shane Duffy has endured an unhappy time since his loan move from Brighton in September and has dropped behind converted midfielder Nir Bitton, whose capabilities have been questioned following his needless red card at Ibrox that was central to Celtic losing a derby they dominated.

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