Royal Antwerp sporting director Marc Overmars has thrown open the door to Celtic Park
Celtic have become VERY familiar with the global transfer market as part of their player-trading masterplan.
Asia, Australia and some unfashionable leagues across Europe that challenged the Parkhead talent spotters – and they have produced some big results.
Nicolas Kuhn’s £3million arrival at Celtic from Austrian side Rapid Vienna after a nomadic career has saw the sell the winger for £17.2million in the latest example.
But it is his potential successor that has seen the Hoops dip into a market they haven’t touched in 10 years – the Belgian Pro League.
Royal Antwerp wide man Michel-Ange Balikwisha is top of the list to replace the German – with reports in Belgium suggesting that a deal is close to being rubber stamped.
Balikwisha missed a Royal Antwerp’s first training session during a pre-season camp in Austria – with boss Stef Wils would play down the speculation.
But sporting director Marc Overmars has now conceded any of their players who are out of contract at the end of this season could be sold – including the 24-year-old Hoops’ target.
He told GVA: “Things like that (outgoing transfers) can happen in a day. I don’t want to beat around the bush: many clubs are ready to make a move.
“There were some bids but they were not serious enough. We’ll see if anything attractive comes along in the near future.”
Should a deal go through, Balikwisha would become the first player to sign from the Belgian top flight since goalkeeper Logan Bailly arrived from OH Leuven in 2015.
Prior to that deal, Celtic occasionally would dip their toe in the Pro League player pool – signing Victor Wanyama from Beerschot in 2011 and Rami Gershon from Standard Liege in 2013.
The Hoops have of course signed Belgian players since 2015 – with Arne Engels enjoying a double winning season last term following his £11million switch from Bundesliga side FC Augsburg.
Less successfully, Chelsea loanee Charly Musonda and Boli Bolingoli have pulled on the green and white hoops.
But while Wanyama proved a hit at Celtic Park, disappointing deals for Gershon and then Bailly may have dampened the Glasgow giants interest in the market.
However, given Balikwisha has been a long-standing target for Celtic it appears they have done their homework – and could finally pull the trigger on a deal.
