Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is “keen” on bringing centre-back Jonny Evans to Parkhead, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Rodgers worked with the former Manchester United player at Leicester, but the 35-year-old is now available on a free transfer after his contract expired at the end of last month.

Evans has also been linked with Premier League side Everton but the Liverpool Echo have refuted those rumours and they claim that Celtic are the team likeliest to make a move for the defender.

The Northern Ireland international only made 13 appearances in all competitions last season, mainly due to a calf injury, but he did start the last three games before Leicester’s relegation to the Championship.

Do Celtic need Evans?

While Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt have been a strong centre-back partnership over the past couple of seasons, there is a lack of depth in that area of the pitch.

Yuki Kobayashi was brought in from Vissel Kobe in January but the 22-year-old has yet to really convince that he can be a regular starter in the Scottish Premiership.

The only other centre-half is Stephen Welsh, but the 23-year-old could be sold before the end of the summer, with Hellas Verona and Bologna both thought to be interested in the player. With that being the case, signing someone of Evans’ experience as backup on a short-term basis does make a lot of sense.

What other transfers are in the pipeline?

It appears that Rodgers is following advice from previous head coach Ange Postecoglou by raiding the transfer market in the Far East.

The Scottish champions have already recruited Yang Hyun-jun from South Korean side Gangwon FC and it looks as if they could purchase a second player from the same country with an offer for Seongnam midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu also in the works.