With a flurry of transfer excitement as today’s transfer deadline looms across clubs, it looks like Celtic may be losing one of their most highly-rated young playmakers although he has been left out in the cold this season.
Oliver Ntcham, the club’s French 24-year-old midfielder, has been a rumoured transfer subject for months now, with clubs like Newcastle United, Southampton, and Nantes all being past sides rumoured to have been in pursuit.
It now looks however that Ntcham will indeed be headed back to his native France, but to Olympique Marseille rather than Nantes. According to the Daily Record, the deal is likely to be a loan with an option to buy in the summer, potentially netting Celtic up to around £8 million in cash.
Although Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph has claimed that the option to buy is much lower, set at a £4.5 million. That is much lower than the £13 million that he was rated at, just a couple of years ago:
UPDATE: We understand Marseille's offer for Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham is a loan, with an option to buy for £4.5m.#DeadlineDay https://t.co/wgHz9Tys8T
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) February 1, 2021
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Ntcham closing in on Celtic exit
Get Football News France have reported that the young player has today boarded a plane from Glasgow to Southern France to help complete the deal, so it looks certain with terms agreed that Celtic could be losing some midfield depth.
Having been with the Hoops since 2017, Ntcham’s involvement in the first team has slowly declined but he is still seen as a young player with plenty of potential in midfield. Over four seasons, he netted 24 times in 147 appearances for the club, playing a role in the club’s three league titles in a row from 2017 to 2020. In his third season with the side, Ntcham managed to net the winning goal for them in the Europa League against Lazio.
With the transfer deadline set for this evening, The Hoops offloading Ntcham could bring in some future cash flow alongside the cash windfall from Dembele’s sale, likely enabling the side to bolster their troubled squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.