Olivier Ntcham is set to stay at Celtic for the foreseeable future after a last-ditch attempt from AEK Athens to take him to Greece did not materialise, according to the Daily Record.
The Lowdown: Celtic gear up for busy 2021/22 season
Moving towards 2021/22, many onlookers within Scottish football will be intrigued to see how Ange Postecoglou gets the best out of his newly-inherited squad of players this season.
While adding quality to the squad over time will be important, maximising the output of those already at the club will also take precedence for the Australian.
One man who looks as if he may get another opportunity at Parkhead looking ahead is Ntcham, following recent developments regarding his future.
The Latest: Ntcham set to stay at Celtic following AEK Athens U-turn
The Frenchman is said to have turned down further advances from AEK Athens in the last few days, and Greek publication sportime.gr have indicated that ‘negotiations did not go well’ with his associates, signifying that he is set to stay with Celtic [Daily Record].
Interestingly, the 25-year-old made a surprise appearance for the Hoops last Saturday in a 2-1 friendly win against Charlton [Glasgow Times].
The Verdict: Ntcham staying would be a huge boost to Celtic
On evaluation, this news could come as a significant boost to the Parkhead hierarchy. Capable of producing heroics on his day, the former Manchester City man has the ability to once again become a key players for the Bhoys moving forward.
He endured a frustrating 2020/21 season, making just 29 appearances between Celtic and Marseille, who he joined on loan for the second half of the campaign [Transfermarkt]. Nonetheless, he impressed with his ability to progress the ball, recording a passing accuracy of 85.1% across the season [WhoScored].
Once labelled as ‘unbelievable’ by former Hoops manager Neil Lennon [The Scottish Sun], the midfielder possesses the talent to make a noticeable difference at Parkhead if he can settle back down.
Having won eight trophies during his time with Celtic [Transfermarkt], Ntcham may be someone to the Hoops will look for inspiration as they aim to rediscover domestic success under Postecoglou.
In other news, a former Premiership striker has been raving about this Celtic prodigy.