Celtic have been linked with quite a few players on a consistent basis for months now. One such name is that of Michel-Ange Balikwisha. The Belgian winger, currently playing for Royal Antwerp, is believed to have on the radar of the Scottish champions going back to last summer. Will a move materialise this time around.
Well, earlier, there had been suggestions that a move was off the table. It was because Celtic were not willing to shell out a £5.1 million transfer fee to sign Balikwisha. That is the figure that Royal Antwerp were said to be looking for.
Now, the situation has taken another U-turn. It looks like the saga is still on although the situation remains as unclear as ever.
As reported by Sacha Tavolieri, Celtic have not forgotten Balikwisha. Several internal factors on the part of the Scottish club’s management have slowed down the deal, but both the Hoops and the player are keen to see it go through. Royal Antwerp FC is asking for €6 million to reach an agreement.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha to Celtic takes major U-turn
Celtic are believed to have a deal in place to sign Benjamin Nygren from FC Nordsjaelland this summer. But there have been suggestions that he will be played in a number 10 role.
Also, Celtic will need another winger if Nicolas Kuhn does end up leaving. Some reports in Germany have suggested that talks over a return to RB Leipzig are now advanced. It remains to be seen how accurate that story is.
On the other hand, Jota suffered a long-term injury towards the end of last season and might not feature again this year. Will Balikwisha turn out to be his replacement? We will find out soon. Celtic will need to pay a €6 million fee to make the move happen.