Former scout Neil McGuinness touted as potential Director of Football candidate for Celtic

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Former Celtic scout Neil McGuinness is being touted as a potential candidate for the role of Director of Football for the Glaswegian club.

The Daily Record report that McGuinness’ name is in the mix for the position at the club, with the likes of Manchester City loan chief Fergal Harkin and Juventus head scout Matteo Tognozzi also being considered by Celtic as they continue their search for a Director of Football.

McGuinness is often regarded as the figure behind Celtic’s capture of current Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, who left Scotland for Southampton in 2015 for a reported transfer fee of £13m according to BBC Sport, with the centre-back since going on to sign for Liverpool and win both the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League for the Reds.

The former Celtic scout spent six years with the Hoops before departing to take up a role at the Aspire Academy in Qatar, with McGuinness currently in his third season as Director of Scouting for MLS side the Columbus Crew, who last year were crowned MLS Cup champions for the first time in their history.

TBR View: McGuinness is the perfect man to take over as Director of Football

Proven track record of making smart signings? Check. Has an understanding of the Scottish Premiership? Check. Knows Celtic inside out? Check.

Hiring a Director of Football is slowly becoming one of the most important decisions a club can make in this era of the game, and for Celtic, they won’t be able to find a more fitting recruitment for the role than McGuinness.

With experience working in both Scotland and Celtic and having a record of making excellent signings in both the short and long-term at the clubs he has worked at, McGuinness is an ideal fit for the position and could be tempted to return to Glasgow if the club can recruit a suitable manager who is open to working alongside a Director of Football.