As reported by The Daily Record, Celtic’s prospects of signing German defender Marvin Compper in the January transfer window have taken a blow.

What’s the story?

The Hoops had been linked with a move for the 32-year-old RB Leipzig player earlier this week, with The Daily Mail reporting he was at the very top of Brendan Rodgers’ transfer wishlist.

However, it appears the move may be more complicated than Celtic would like, with his manager weighing in to declare that he won’t be going anywhere mid-season.

As quoted by The Daily Record, Ralph Hasenhuettel said:

I don’t want to get rid of any player in January. It’s a squad game and we need them all, especially as we have had a lot of injuries recently. Also, Marvin has never come to me and said he’s unhappy or put in a transfer request. So he will be here until the summer at least.

The whole thing highlights how difficult it might be for Celtic to bring a defender capable enough to improve the defence mid-season, with teams all over the world closing ranks to prepare for the final few months of their current campaigns.

Finding improvement

While Brendan Rodgers has a number of defenders to choose from, they’ve come under criticism recently for faltering performances at home and abroad with supporters rapidly losing faith in their ability to compete at the level they want.

However, finding upgrades on the likes of Jozo Simunovic and Dedryck Boyata has been difficult and despite seeking defensive targets in the summer transfer window, the club failed to find the right candidate. That will only be harder next month.

Even had he been available, Marvin Compper would seem to be a compromise of sorts with his age and lack of European experience not exactly ticking all the boxes you’d usually expect from a Celtic signing.

Can the Hoops find the defensive signing that sets supporters’ minds at ease?