Celtic are now likely to complete the signing of an “amazing” attacking player soon, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
Attackers the order of the day for Celtic
Brendan Rodgers will know the importance of adding to his squad and making his team even more of a force next season, in order to prevent Rangers from closing the gap in the Scottish Premiership, and perhaps more excitingly for the Hoops to improve in the Champions League.
Celtic appear to be prioritising attacking signings this summer, with Benjamin Nygren strongly linked with sealing a move from Nordsjaelland to Parkhead.
Meanwhile, Evan Ferguson has emerged as an audacious transfer target for the Hoops ahead of next season, with the Brighton striker’s stock falling over the past 12 months, following a tough spell out on loan at West Ham.
That’s not to say that the Republic of Ireland international couldn’t be a fantastic acquisition for Celtic, however, with Gary Lineker calling him a “born goalscorer” and once tipping him to replace Harry Kane at Tottenham.
Now, it looks as though the Scottish champions could be edging towards another attacking signing.
O’Rourke: Celtic set to finalise deal for Balikwisha
Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke claimed Celtic have a good chance of signing Royal Antwerp forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha this summer.
“There’s real potential that Celtic could finally get a deal done for Balikwisha. He’s been a long-term target for them, they tried to sign him in the summer transfer window last year but an injury and failing to agree a price stopped their hopes. Their interest has never gone away, they’ve continued to keep tabs on him. He has got back to full fitness after a bad injury and finished the season strongly.
“Celtic will be in the market for a new winger and Balikwisha has remained on the radar. They’ve been given a boost in their pursuit as well, reports are suggesting in Belgium that Royal Antwerp are experiencing some financial problems. They may have to cash in on some of their players, and with the 24-year-old in the final year of his contract Celtic could land him for a bargain fee of £5million.”
Balikwisha has been linked with Celtic for some time, with talks mooted recently, and he could be a brilliant signing this summer, with the 24-year-old possessing so much quality.
|
Michel-Ange Balikwisha’s international stats |
Caps |
Goals |
|---|---|---|
|
Belgium Under-21s |
10 |
1 |
|
Belgium Under-19s |
3 |
0 |
|
Belgium Under-18s |
1 |
0 |
|
Belgium Under-17s |
5 |
1 |
|
Belgium Under-16s |
4 |
1 |
The attacker already has 46 goal involvements in 141 appearances for Antwerp, and at international level he has been capped for Belgium across five different youth age groups, also being called “amazing” by analyst Ben Mattinson.
While primarily a left winger, Balikwisha can also shine on the opposite flank and as a striker, so Rodgers would be signing a player who can add so much depth to his attack.
