Celtic receive transfer boost in chase for Victor Wanyama

Celtic were heavily linked with the Tottenham midfield enforcer during the summer transfer window but failed to get the deal done. But now the Scottish champions have been handed a transfer boost in the pursuit of their former star with a January move looking possible.

When Victor Wanyama moved from Beerschot AC to Celtic in 2011, he was just a 20-year-old Kenyan midfielder looking to make a name for himself in European football. Of course he had impressive enough during his time with the Belgian side to earn himself a move to the Scottish giants in the first place but had not yet caught the eye of most European football fans due a lack of exposure of the Jupiler League.

That was soon to change though as Wanyama was immense during his two years at Parkhead. He was in the SPL Team of the Year for the 2012-13 season and was named the SPL Young Player of the Year as well. The Hoops fans will forever remember him for his goal against Barcelona in a historic 2-1 win at Celtic Park. By the time he left the club to join Mauricio Pochettino’s Southampton in 2013, he was considered one of the most exciting prospects in world football.

After three solid seasons at St Mary’s Stadium, Wanyama decided to follow Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham Hotspur in what was then considered his next step to superstardom. The move though has not gone as planned and after a sensational debut campaign at White Hart Lane, a mix of injuries and lack of form have meant that the Kenyan is now just warming the benches at Tottenham.

Celtic are still interested in bringing back the man who wore #67 during his time at the club as a tribute to the Lisbon Lions. They were heavily linked with Wanyama during the summer and Neil Lennon even went as far as to confirm the rumours. But he was Belgium-bound back then and a move did not make financial sense. The move fell apart though and the Kenyan ended up staying at White Hart Lane over the summer.

Tottenham though have made a terrible start to the season and will be desperate to bring changes in the winter transfer window. A report in The Times has now emerged which claims that a number of Tottenham stars might be sold in January, one of whom is the Kenyan midfielder.

And this time it might be much easier to acquire considering Mauricio Pochettino’s desperation to get rid of all the deadwood immediately. A return to Celtic Park might very well be on the cards!