The eight Premier League players released yesterday who have previously been linked to Celtic

As the English Premier League teams released their retention lists yesterday, here we take a look at those who have been previously linked to Celtic over the years.

We discussed yesterday how Tottenham Hotspur let Ryan Sessegnon and Japhet Tanganga leave the club after their contracts expired this season.

But there are also players from Manchester United, Brentford, Brighton, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest who are all now free agents and all have been linked to Celtic in the past.

So here, 67 Hail Hail delivers a round-up of all Premier League players who are now looking for a club who were all linked to Celtic at one point in the past. [Premier League]

Former Brentford and Brighton stars with past Celtic links

Brentford have a history of signing Celtic players after they took Kristoffer Ajer and Vincent Angelini from the club back in 2021.

However, they have now let 26-year-old Grenadian international midfielder Shandon Baptiste leave the club.

Celtic were interested in Baptiste back in January 2020 when Neil Lennon ‘tabled’ a £3m bid for the then Oxford United player.

Baptiste opted to join Brentford instead and after four years and just 78 appearances later, he finds himself looking for a new club.

Brighton have also released Adam Lallana. Celtic showed interest in the former 34-cap England international way back in 2010 when he was a 21-year-old at Southampton. [Mirror]

He opted to stay at St Mary’s and then eventually got his big move to Liverpool where he won an EPL title, the Champions League, a UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup with the Anfield club.

Manchester United and Sheffield United release former Celtic targets

Let’s start with Manchester United defender, Jonny Evans. The Northern Irish international was a free agent last summer when links to Celtic first emerged.

Having just been released from Leicester City, Evans was offered a one-year deal at The Reds and opted to return to the club where he started his career.

Listed as a free transfer, Evans is free to speak to clubs but is said to be in talks with the EPL giants about extending his stay for another year. [BBC]

And now onto Sheffield United. Celtic fans will remember the club being linked to the Blades’ star fullback, George Baldock.

Links first appeared five years ago when Celtic were looking to strengthen the backline. The move never materialised and Baldock was said to be a target at the start of the Ange Postecoglou era.

The rumoured move was put to bed after Celtic switched targets due to United’s demands during the negotiations proved too much for the Parkhead club.

Now at 31, Baldock is looking for his next club after being released as The Blades face next season in the Championship.

The relegated EPL club have also released Max Lowe. Sharp-eyed Celtic fans will remember the Lowe from his Aberdeen days and back in 2019, Celtic were linked to the former England u20 midfielder in a rumour that did split the Celtic fans’ opinion.

Lowe joined The Blades in the summer of 2020 and is now looking for a new club after being told he is surplus to requirements.

Former Scotland international, Scott McKenna, is now a free agent

Scott McKenna is a defender who has also been heavily linked with Celtic over the past five years.

Brendan Rodgers wanted the former Aberdeen and Scotland defender during his first stint at Celtic and a £3.5m bid was rejected by Aberdeen back in 2018.

McKenna opted to join Nottingham Forest for £6m in 2020 and spent this season on loan at FC Copenhagen.

Celtic was last said to be interested in McKenna in January of this year as his contract ran down but nothing ever materialised.

Now 27 and 106 appearances for Forest later, McKenna is looking for a new club after being let go by the Premier League club yesterday.

Would any of these players be of interest to Celtic now? You would have to say no. Although Scott McKenna could provide Brendan Rodgers with an interesting homegrown option for the upcoming Champions League squad list.