The Hoops are one of several British clubs ready to fight it out for the exciting winger this summer
Celtic are stepping up their pursuit to sign promising Brondby winger Clement Bischoff – but Premier League duo Sunderland and Crystal Palace have also been touted with a summer swoop for the youngster.
The versatile 19-year-old has emerged as a key target for Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers in recent days as he looks to add more depth and dynamism to his wide options before the end of the window.
According to TEAMtalk, their interest in the Danish starlet has ‘intensified’ amid claims he could now be available for a modest £6.3million.
Bischoff, who can play on the wing or at left-back, was the subject of a failed £7.2m switch to Brighton in February. He is currently entering the final year of his contract with the Superliga cub and would be free to sign a pre-contract agreement in January should Brondby decide against selling him this summer.
It’s understood Rodgers would still like to recruit two additional attacking players this month and Bischoff is one who has caught the eye of Parkhead scouts, who view him as a versatile left-sided option capable of bringing pace and creativity into the squad and someone with attributes that align perfectly with Rodgers’ high-pressing philosophy.
Newly-promoted Sunderland are also tracking the Denmark youth international, who has risen up through the Brondby ranks, while Palace have also watched Bischoff in action recently and have been linked with a move.
Celtic target breaks silence on Brighton transfer collapse
Earlier this year, Bischoff had travelled to England to undergo a medical with Brighton ahead of a proposed £7.2m move before the deal dramatically collapsed at the eleventh hour due to ‘contractual disagreements’.
Expressing his disappointment at the outcome, he revealed to Ekstra Bladet: “It was such a strange feeling. It was as if something was taken away from me just as I was about to achieve something. It was tough.
It was a project that I could see myself in, which is the most important thing. It’s a good club and it’s the Premier League, so of course it’s a boyhood dream. I was disappointed. I’ll be honest with you. I was over there and got the message and it was tough. Then I travelled home.”
The teenager said he quickly shifted his focus back to the pitch: “It was a bit like a movie. But as I’ve always been told, things move quickly in football. It has done that for me in a positive way for a very long time. The first day I thought about it an awful lot, and it was tough.
“I was also told that I could take a little break from training if that’s what I needed. But I’m not like that. I just want to get back on the training pitch and get my mind off it a bit, because it’s on the football pitch that I forget things. I’ve done that, so I’m moving on now.”
Celtic still to translate Bischoff interest into a formal bid
It remains to be seen if Celtic’s interest translates into a formal bid, but with English top-flight interest also emerging, the battle for Bischoff’s signature could heat up soon.
The player hasn’t let his failed transfer effect his development in the months that followed, featuring prominently for Brondby while contributing goals and assists.
