Celtic handed new Vinicius Souza transfer problem

Celtic are in need of a defensive midfielder at this point of time. Scott Brown left the club last summer and then, Nir Bitton called time on his Parkhead career at the end of last season. As a result, it is a void that needs to be filled, especially with Ismaila Soro, James McCarthy and Yosuke Ideguchi, all having struggled to break into Ange Postecoglou’s first-team plans till now.

Vinicius Souza is a player Celtic seem to have set their eyes on. The Brazilian midfielder made quite an impression last season while on loan at KV Mechelen. He is currently with Belgian second division side, Lommel SK, who are part of the City Football Group.

It is believed that Souza could head out on loan once again this summer although some rumours have suggested that Lommel SK could be willing to let him go for a transfer fee around €9 million.

A number of clubs around Europe are being linked with Souza as well though. And as reported by the Scottish Daily Mail [18/06 print edition, page 124] (via 67 Hail Hail), he is no rush to decide his playing future. In fact, he could potentially wait until the end of the window to find the best option for him next season.

Celtic handed fresh Souza transfer problem

It goes without saying that that would be a problem for Celtic. Defensive midfield is a position of need for them and not one of luxury.

Under ideal circumstances, they would want to start pre-season with a signing already made there. As a result, if Souza decides to wait before making a decision, that would be a worry for the club, especially since there is no guarantee that they will win the race for the Brazilian midfielder’s signature.

Thus, they could be left scrambling towards the end of the window if they fail to sign Souza, a situation that they surely will want to avoid. So, if the transfer saga drags on, it might be best for the Hoops to turn their attention towards other targets.