Elyounoussi price tag crashes as Celtic re-signing plan revealed
Celtic have their sets on re-signing Mohamed Elyounoussi again this summer - and his Southampton price tag is set to crash to £5million, Football Insider understands.
The Premier League club wanted £8-10million for the Norway international winger last summer but could not find a club willing to pay that.
Celtic eventually landed Elyounoussi on a second consecutive loan and Neil Lennon floated the possibility last week he could return to Parkhead again next summer, potentially on a third loan.
Elyounoussi's price tag is expected to tumble when he enters the final two years of his Southampton contract this summer.
A recruitment source has told Football Insider that the wide attacker is likely to be available for around £5m after a mixed campaign in Scotland.
That is less than a third of the £16m Southampton paid Swiss club Basel for him in the summer of 2018.
Celtic beat Real Betis to the capture of Elyounoussi last summer and he has been a key player this season, scoring 13 goals and providing six assists from 31 matches in all competitions.
The left winger has a fine record for the Scottish giants of 20 goals and 12 assists from 53 games across his two campaigns.
The fear for Celtic is Elyounoussi's value could rise if he ends the season in a blaze of goals and matchwinning performances.
Elyounoussi ended his first loan season at Celtic in the SPFL team of the year despite missing months of the campaign with a foot injury even before the lockdown led to a premature halt.
He made little impression during his one season of Premier League football and Southampton have made it clear they are open to him leaving permanently.