Iain Dougan, from Celtic podcast, The Cynic, has tipped Hoops midfielder Olivier Ntcham to depart Parkhead soon.
The Cynic’s latest episode came out on 16th June and it had Dougan as a guest on the panel. During a conversation about the club’s transfer business for the summer, Dougan commented on the situation of Ntcham and if the Hoops need to sign a central midfielder in the summer.
Dougan said that while Ntcham has a high ceiling, he can’t reach that potential at Parkhead. He also said that if the former Manchester City man doesn’t leave, the Bhoys won’t need to sign another central midfielder.
He said: “I don’t think there’s a space for the central midfielder unless somebody moves out, and my expectation is that Ntcham will leave.
“Whether Jackson Irvine or David Turnbull are direct replacements, I don’t know. I think Ntcham has a very high ceiling but I don’t think he’s gonna reach that ceiling at Celtic.
“I think Turnbull is going to be a step down from Ntcham ultimately, but that might just be what you need this season when finances are going to be incredibly tight.
“The other positions that we look like we need to strengthen are left-wing, given that [Mohamed] Elyounoussi doesn’t look like he’ll come back, and centre-back, as well.”
Should Celtic sell Ntcham in the summer?
Yes, I think so
Never, he's an asset
While this might not be positive for Celtic fans, it is key to note that the midfielder has been linked with a move to Southampton in recent weeks. Not just the Saints, but Ntcham has also attracted interest from another Premier League side in West Ham as well.
Le 10 Sport (via the Daily Record) had also talked about Nice being interested in Ntcham. They had reported that the former Man City player is ‘high on their signing agenda’ for the summer transfer window.
TIF Thoughts…
The speculation surrounding Ntcham shows that he might indeed be edging close towards a Parkhead exit in the summer. That might not please Celtic fans, as the 24-year-old scored the club’s winner in their famous 2-1 win over Lazio in the UEFA Europa League this season. He also contributed to 12 goals in 38 games in all competitions for the Celtic Park-based club.
Dougan clearly rates Ntcham pretty high and considering that many clubs are after him, he could indeed have high potential. Ntcham has drawn comparisons to Paul Pogba in the past and Celtic fans can only hope that he stays at the club. If he doesn’t, the Hoops should look to earn as much as they can from his potential sale.