‘I turned down Celtic for Rangers – this is what swayed my decision’ | Football | Sport

Kemar Roofe could have been backing Celtic in their Old Firm clash against Rangers this weekend if the Scottish champions had succeeded in their efforts to sign him. Roofe instead signed for the Gers in 2020 after the club forked out £4.5million to Anderlecht for his services.

The 33-year-old previously revealed he had the opportunity to move to the Scottish Premiership prior to his Rangers arrival. Speaking on the Open Goal podcast last year, he admitted he turned down a chance to join Celtic in order to focus on the Belgian side. He said: “It was Celtic first. Celtic asked my agent about it but I said no because my focus was just to play for Anderlecht.

“A week before that I’d spoken to [then Anderlecht manager] Vincent Kompany and he said, ‘We still want you here.’ In my head, I was going to play the full season again at Anderlecht. So, I said no.”

However, a move to Scotland would soon beckon for Roofe – but to the blue half of Glasgow. The striker revealed Anderlecht’s financial issues led them to accept Rangers’ bid to acquire him, something Celtic never offered.

He explained: “Then about a week later, I got a phone call from Vincent Kompany saying Rangers have put in a bid, and the club have accepted. The difference was Rangers actually put in a bid.

“As soon as the bid came in, the club was in a financial situation because of Covid, so they said yes straight away. Then it was up to me to say whether I’d go to Rangers or stay at Anderlecht.”

Roofe recalled his first conversation with Gerrard, with the Liverpool legend telling him: “Come in, be our number nine and win the league.” He did just that with Roofe enjoying an instant impact at Ibrox by leading the club to an undefeated league season as they won their first league title in a decade.

The forward – who has been without a club since February after leaving Walsall – scored 18 goals across all competitions, with 14 coming in the league in his debut campaign. Roofe will surely be a keen viewer on Sunday in the sixth Old Firm derby of the season, with Celtic aiming to keep their title hopes alive.