Olympiacos have been handed a huge boost in their hunt for Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata as transfer rivals Lazio drop out of the hunt for the Belgian’s capture, according to the Sunday Post.
The newspaper claim on their website that the Greek side are plotting a reignited raid for the centre back’s capture in January after missing out on his signing over the summer – a saga which saw Boyata down tools at Parkhead as he tried to force a move.
The report states that with another cash bid set to be tabled in the winter window, Olympiacos’ hopes have been boosted as former suitors Lazio choose to pursue other targets instead.
Opinion
Not the news that Celtic would have wanted to hear. The Hoops have more or less accepted that the Belgian senior star is heading off in January, with his contract expiring in the summer, and having kept him on instead of selling him this year, they have just one final shot at cashing in on his sale. They would have liked a number of parties to remain interested in order to play them off against one another and drive up his price, which will already be slashed in this last chance saloon for Brendan Rodgers’ men. Instead, with Lazio dropping out, Olympiacos’ chances of snapping him up have been boosted, while slashing the Bhoys’ hopes of getting a much bigger fee. There may well be other clubs in the running but the Hoops need some big spenders to come in and snap him up if they are to get a fee they are happy with.