Football News: Celtic will need to pay the price to land Stuart Armstrong from Dundee United.

Image from: www.zimbio.com

Celtic have been warned they will have to dig deep to if they intend to secure the services of Dundee United midfielder Stuart Armstrong.

After Armstrong's decisive goal in Utd's 2-1 win at Tannadice yesterday ended the reigning champions eight match unbeaten run in the league, Jackie McNamara took the opportunity after the match to send out a warning that Dundee United won't be letting the 22-year-old leave on the cheap.

McNamara made it clear to any potential suitors, "We would want the going rate. We don't need to sell anybody, we're debt free and everything is good.

"If the right offer came in I'm sure the chairman and board would look at it. But the most important thing is to keep them here, let them progress and learn."

McNamara went on, "Silly money changes everything. Every team in Scotland is a selling club. Speculation has been part of it since I came here and it will be until the end of January when the window closes. It's a compliment to the players; it's nice for them to be linked."

McNamara will know that former Scotland Under-21 captain Armstrong's performance yesterday, his first win over his former club as a manager, will only have heightened Ronny Deila's desire to take him to Glasgow but the Celtic boss will be well aware that Sporting Lisbon and
Southampton have also had the player watched and now Jackie McNamara has sent the message to Peter Lawwell that he will need to flex Celtic's financial muscle if they are to be in with a chance of landing Armstrong.

Will Peter Lawwell be willing to invest the money in one of Scotland's best young players though?

Written by Mark B Jamieson December 22 2014 16:58:38