Celtic 'reject' approach from Premiership rival for fringe player as homegrown talent going nowhere
SPFL Premiership have been swiftly rebuffed
Celtic have reportedly shut down an approach made by Dundee for defender Dane Murray - who they aren’t going to leave in the summer whether it be a loan or permanent deal.
The 23-year old is the fourth choice central defender at Celtic Park behind Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales and Auston Trusty in the selection pecking order, however manager Martin O’Neill is planning on keeping him for the season ahead.
Murray featured 16 times last season for the Hoops in their domestic double-winning campaign, however main man Carter-Vickers was out with an ACL injury for almost the entirety of the season. The Scotland youth international international is once again set to be a backup for the upcoming campaign.
Celtic ‘reject’ Dundee approach for Murray
Dundee - who lost 1-0 to the Hoops in Monday night’s Premiership opener at Parkhead - are looking for defensive reinforcements after losing Luke Graham to Stoke and Billy Koumetio to Charlton Athletic. Amid their search, manager Steven Pressley had Murray on his radar for a potential replacement.
However, according to the Courier, Celtic have shut down the initial contact made from the Dark Blues for Murray regarding a loan move - and will ‘reject’ any future approaches. Being a ‘club trained’ player, the defender is a useful asset for the European quota - which states clubs must have at least eight homegrown players in a matchday squad when competing in a UEFA competition.
Overall, Murray has made 40 Celtic appearances thus far. He was farmed out to Queen’s Park during the 2024-25 season where he gained some valuable first team minutes in the Scottish Championships. He remains under contract until the summer of 2028.
O’Neill on current crop of centre backs
The Hoops boss seems relatively content with the four central defenders he has at his disposal and claims this isn’t a position they need to prioritise strengthening. When asked is he’s looking for more centre back options in the transfer window, he responded: “No, not at the minute. Yeah, I am [happy with current options]. Big Dane is two years behind because of injuries. I think he’s got a lot of potential.
“Scales and Trusty – yeah. With Carter-Vickers out last year, it was a bit of a problem, because Trusty ended up playing on the right-hand side. Now, hopefully we’ve got a bit of balance. “[Carter-Vickers] is getting there game by game. Obviously, he had a serious injury. I’d have to go back and watch some games in the past when he was at his best, but the coaching staff are telling me they think he can get back to what he was, which would be very encouraging.
“I’ve never had him, so I genuinely don’t know what he’s like. I’ve seen him play from a distance, but you don’t know until you’re working with somebody. His attitude is very strong, he wants to do well. Each day he’s training – there are only two times out of all the sessions we’ve had, morning and afternoon, that he’s missed out.”