3 more familiar faces new Celtic boss might be tempted by

With Liverpool supposedly demanding £10m for Joe Allen and a gaggle of clubs apparently keen on the Wales star, it remains to be seen whether Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will link up with the 26-year-old for a third time this summer.

The Daily Record have recently reported that Rodgers’ former club Liverpool rejected an £8m bid for Allen’s services – while the midfielder prepares for his country’s round-of-16 Euros showdown against Northern Ireland.

There is not much doubt that the cultured playmaker would equate to a fantastic signing for the Ladbrokes Premiership champions, but while that saga looks likely to rumble for a few weeks at least, Rodgers may look to other former players in the meantime.

The Northern Irishman has insisted he prefers quality over quantity whomever arrives at Parkhead during his first transfer window in charge and any of these three Liverpool players on the peripheries at Anfield have shown plenty.

Martin Skrtel

The Slovakian captain has proven a rock for his country during Euro 2016 but, since Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield arrival, the tenacious centre-half has been used very sparingly. The consensus is that Skrtel will leave this summer, but only after considering a range of possible options. If Rodgers seeks quality and experience, he couldn’t go wrong here.

Kevin Stewart

Nowhere near the same profile as Skrtel, the 22-year-old former Tottenham youth is obviously rated by Klopp. The centre midfielder was afforded his first 11 senior Reds appearances last season and was subsequently rewarded with a new contract that ties him to Anfield until 2020 in theory. Nevertheless, he could be a fine loan option, especially if Allen’s arrival doesn’t materialise. Stewart benefitted from the multitude of competitions that Liverpool were playing in last season but, without Europe on the menu in 2015/16, playing time could well be endangered in the Merseysiders’ fiercely-contested central area.

Jose Enrique

The Spanish full-back was deployed 35 times by Rodgers in his initial season as Liverpool manager and also featured for the first quarter of the 2013/14 campaign before becoming beset with injuries. Although fit again, 30-year-old Enrique has subsequently been released by the Reds after just a sprinkling of cup appearances in 2015/16 under Klopp. Reviving the former Newcastle player’s career in Glasgow would also be a pleasantly cheap option.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.