Exclusive: Celtic decide to sell midfielder this month, PL clubs in the hunt

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Published on:

18 Jan 2021, 1:30 am

Celtic are giving midfielder Olivier Ntcham the green light to seek a transfer this month, Football Insider can exclusively reveal.

The French midfielder has been one of up to four Hoops stars considered for big-money January exits to raise much-needed cash.

Now a Celtic source has told Football Insider that club chiefs have opened the door for Ntcham's suitors ahead of the transfer window cut-off on 1 February.

Premier League duo West Brom and Southampton have been in pursuit of the versatile midfielder as well as Marseille and Lyon.

Ntcham has entered the final 18 months of his contract at Celtic.

Football Insider revealed last summer that the Scottish champions value Ntcham at around £12million, nearly three times what they paid for him in 2017, but the price is set to drop.

Southampton have a longstanding interest in the player and also have the advantage of regular trading with Celtic in recent years.

Mohammed Elyounoussi is on a second consecutive season-long loan at Parkhead and Fraser Forster also held talks in the last window after his outstanding campaign last term.

Ntcham has had an up-and-down season in which he has showed only fleeting glimpses of the talent that made him a key member of the quadruple treble-winning side.

The former France Under-21 international has made just seven Scottish Premiership starts among 23 appearances in all competitions.

A regular scorer and creator during his four seasons at Celtic, he has been in quarantine during the last two games and not started a league match since October.

In other news, Peter Lawwell set for Celtic exit as boardroom reshuffle begins.

Celtic