Celtic boss fires brutal message as Bournemouth and Stoke join Birmingham City in transfer race

Birmingham City face competition from the Premier League and the Championship to sign Celtic star Bosun Lawal.

According to Football Insider, both Bournemouth and Stoke City have registered their interest in signing Lawal. The 21-year-old is currently trying to break in to the Celtic first-team, but has plenty of suitors lined up if he believes his future should lie away from Celtic Park with Austrian side RB Salzburg also a possible destination.

Football Insider claim that Celtic are open to a transfer whether it be a loan or a permanent move. Lawal has recently returned from a loan spell at Fleetwood Town, and was regarded as one of their leading players despite an otherwise dismal campaign for the Fylde Coast outfit.

The 21-year-old played 46 times in all competitions for Fleetwood last season, and is hoping that can put him in good stead to help him make a breakthrough at Celtic. To date, he's made one senior appearance for a first-team, a three-minute cameo against Morton in the Scottish Cup, whilst he's also been an unused substitute on three occasions.

Earlier this month, Lawal's manager Brendan Rodgers fired a brutal message to Lawal, admitting that he would have to raise his game if he was to make it at the Scottish Premiership champions.

“They need to be a much higher level," admitted the former Liverpool boss. If you’re going to play for Celtic, you have to be. Odin needs to do more. There’s something there, though, absolutely.

“And that’s why we persevere, and that’s why we stay with it, because he has talent, like Bosun Lawal, and that’s why we want to give them the opportunity, so I can see them in pre-season.

"But, it’s just running more. You have to run. Without the ball, you’ve got to run, you’ve got to be bright, you’ve got to be in good positions to press the game, then to get the ball and take the ball.

“So I think the two boys (Holm and Lawal) that you mentioned have talent. But I want more. A lot more. Talent not just enough. You can play in teams, but not in our team.”

As mentioned before, should Celtic want to keep hold of Lawal permanently but want him to develop, Birmingham could be the best destination for him. Chris Davies worked under Brendan Rodgers at various different clubs and is a close friend, so he could be entrusted to develop him in a team that will be challenging at the right end of League One.