Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke has stated that Celtic 'definitely' won't sign Tottenham defender Cameron Carter-Vickers to a permanent deal in January - but next summer is a genuine possibility.
The Lowdown: Crucial to Celtic
Carter-Vickers is currently on a season-long loan at Celtic Park. The 23-year-old is yet to make a Premier League appearance for Spurs, so it was deemed necessary for the defender to gain experience elsewhere once again.
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Since making the move, the USA international has played every minute in the Scottish Premiership, and his defensive contributions have helped the club reach the Scottish League Cup final and keep in close proximity of league-leaders Rangers.
He leads the team in clearances, making 4.7 per game, and is also joint-top for blocks per game, averaging 0.5, alongside defender Anthony Ralston.
The Latest: Transfer possible in summer window
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O'Rourke raised the possibility of a permanent transfer of Carter-Vickers to Celtic.
"It definitely won't happen in January. I think in the summer, depending on where Celtic are and whether they've won the title and get automatic qualification to the Champions League, there might be a possibility of doing that one."
According to the Daily Record, Tottenham have issued a price-tag of around £10m to secure the player's services on a permanent deal.
The Verdict: Good deal all round
The £10m price-tag would break Celtic's record transfer fee, which was set by the arrival of Odsonne Edouard in 2018, in a deal worth £9.27m.
From the outside, this fee could appear to be too expensive for a defender. However, during his spell as Spurs manager, Mauricio Pochettino made the bold claim that Carter-Vickers "will be one of the best centre-backs in England in the future," and his fantastic form for the Hoops so far certainly backs up that potential - perhaps the Bhoys could even sell him on for a profit in the future like they did with Virgil van Dijk.
Former Tottenham fan favourite Jan Vertonghen is also a big fan of the Englishman, claiming the loan star is "an absolute beast" and that "he's a real defender".
That said, there simply doesn't seem to be a path through to the first-team in North London, with Antonio Conte expected to buy another central defender in January, so a permanent deal in the summer makes sense for all parties - the Lilywhites bank a profit, the player gets consistent playing time in a side fighting for trophies and the Hoops solidify their backline for years to come.