According to The S*n, Celtic will agree a £7m deal with Southampton for Stuart Armstrong. The 26-year-old is expected to exit Parkhead from St Mary’s within 48 hours. It’s a major blow for Brendan Rodgers as Armstrong had nailed down a starting place in the Celtic side last season and was a standout performer. But now he will now need replacing.
The Scotland international joined the Hoops from Dundee United in 2015 and went on to make 144 appearances in all competitions. Armstrong won four Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups in his three-and-a-half years at Parkhead. He’s set to discuss personal terms with Southampton over the weekend.
Armstrong was in the last year of his deal at Celtic, seemingly keeping his options open and put himself in the show window after an impressing 2017/18 campaign. The 26-year-old made 38 appearances across the board as Celtic sealed back-to-back trebles in Rodgers’ second season.
His £7m move to Southampton will see Dundee land around £500k due to a sell-on-fee that was agreed back in 2015. Armstrong will soon be joining the likes of Oriol Romeu, Mario Lemina, Steven Davis, James Ward-Prowse, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Dusan Tadic in a star-studded Saints midfield. He has stiff competition for a starting place in the South Coast.