Journalist Scott Burns has confirmed that Celtic knocked back an agent-led approach from Fiorentina for Auston Trusty on Sunday, with the club rejecting it straight away as they manage injuries and movement at centre-back.
Trusty has moved into the team with Cameron Carter-Vickers ruled out for the season and has quickly become a regular in defence. His run of games has come at a point where Celtic cannot afford changes at the back, with matches coming thick and fast and little room to shuffle the line-up.
Celtic’s stance is shaped by availability as much as performance. Carter-Vickers being out has reduced options, and Stephen Welsh could still leave for Motherwell before the deadline. That leaves Trusty as a starter rather than a squad option, which explains why the club were quick to shut down outside interest.
At the same time, Celtic remain active in the market. The club are working on a loan deal for Brentford defender Benjamin Arthur before the window closes. That move is about adding cover, not opening the door for exits, especially with Trusty now playing a key role.
Burns said: (Hotline Live), “There was an approach to Celtic via an agent from Fiorentina for Auston Trusty, which was knocked back straight away, with the club saying he is not for sale and cannot be moved in this market.
“It was agent driven and there was no encouragement from Celtic to take it further.
“Celtic are already short at centre-half, as we know, having brought in the young lad from Brentford and allowed Stephen Welsh to leave.
“With Cameron Carter-Vickers still injured, Celtic have made it clear they cannot afford to let Trusty go at this stage.
“But it was definite interest from Fiorentina.”
Trusty’s form has helped steady the back line during a tough period. He has been playing week after week rather than being eased into the side, and his ability to fit in straight away has helped as Celtic balance league games with Europe.
The interest from Fiorentina shows how quickly things can shift when a player starts playing regularly. For Celtic, though, the timing is wrong. Letting a starting centre-back go now would leave a gap that cannot be filled easily.
That is why the club are trying to add options instead of letting players leave. The loan move for Benjamin Arthur is about depth and sharing minutes, not pushing Trusty out.
With the window closing, Celtic’s position is simple. Trusty is staying, extra cover could come in, and the aim is to see out the season with enough defenders available to get through the schedule.
