Celtic are reportedly preparing an attempt to sign Sheffield United defender George Baldock this summer, according to Football Insider. 

The lowdown: Career so far

Signed from MK Dons in 2017 having previously only ever had loan spells away from the League One club, Baldock has amassed 379 professional career appearances, having spent time at the likes of Oxford United, Tamworth, Northampton Town and even IBV Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland.

However, despite that journeyman career, the 29-year-old right-back has found a home in Sheffield with 166 outings for the Yorkshire club. That includes 70 in the Premier League, with the Greece international an ever-present during the 2019/20 campaign.

Some 12 months after initially attempting to make this deal happen, it appears as though the Hoops are now considering giving Baldock a first taste of Champions League action by bringing the reliable stalwart to Glasgow...

The latest: Celtic 'lining up' Baldock

As per Football Insider, Celtic are believed to be 'lining up' the four-cap Greece defender should Atletico Madrid's interest in Josip Juranovic materialise into a transfer.

It's claimed that a 'Celtic source' has informed the outlet of that interest and the need to be 'drawing up contingency plans' should Ange Postecoglou suddenly require reinforcements.

The report added that the Premiership champions could enter the market for a right-back amidst 'growing uncertainty' surrounding Juranovic, with Baldock - who was hailed for his 'outstanding' form in 2019 by then-Blades manager Chris Wilder - seemingly among the leading candidates.

The verdict: Bulletproof

Although no transfer can be considered completely devoid of risk, signing a player of Baldock's proven quality, calibre and experience would be as close as a bulletproof deal comes for the Parkhead hierarchy.

Last month, the versatile full-back earned an impressive 7.17 Sofascore rating as he won two duels, made 1.3 tackles and completed 35 passes on average per game in the UEFA Nations League as Greece faced Cyprus, Northern Ireland and Kosovo twice each.

Last season, Baldock continued to play an integral role for Sheffield United, scoring once and providing three assists in 27 appearances across all competitions, appearing in both legs of their Championship play-off semi-final clash against Nottingham Forest.

Capable of operating as a conventional right-back, in advanced areas and from the left, the £3.6m- valued Bramall Lane stalwart - who earns £23,000 per week (Salary Sport) - would certainly appear to be a worthwhile acquisition for Celtic should Juranovic depart during the ongoing transfer window.