Celtic linked with Malian winger who previously worked under Brendan Rodgers at Leicester and has impressed in Swiss top flight.

Celtic have been credited with keeping tabs on Malian winger Fousseni Diabaté after an impressive campaign in the Swiss top flight with FC Lausanne Sport.

The former Leicester player, now aged 29, was at the Foxes during Brendan Rodgers’ time at the helm. He managed 15 Premier League appearances and was name-checked by the boss at the time, saying he was a “talent” who was ‘unlucky’ to not have played more minutes due to the form of the likes of Harvey Barnes. Diabate is the product of Stade Rennais academy youth system and has had spells at the likes of Reims and Guingamp.

“I’d seen a bit of (Diabate). I’d done my homework on him,” Rodgers said back in 2019. “It’s one of those where he is a talent, but there are others ahead of him. You can only have so many. We’ve got Harvey (Barnes), Demarai (Gray) and Marc Albrighton.”

Celtic up against FC Paris for attacker Diabate

Diabate is out of contract and is attracting interest from clubs across Europe, according to AfricaFoot, with Celtic going up against the likes of Paris FC - who have just won promotion to Ligue 1 in France. His current club Lausanne are said to have offered the French-born ace a new two-year deal and are hoping to convince the attacker to stay but he is currently more likely to end up elsewhere.

Celtic’s summer transfer window is now very much on the go and the Hoops announced the return of Kieran Tierney from Arsenal on a pre-contract earlier this week. He signed a five-year deal and will take up the left-back spot for the Scottish Premiership champions. That is a key position for Rodgers - who is said to be exploring further options with Greg Taylor expected to leave the club to sign for PAOK. Former Hibs youngster Josh Doig and Hearts’ James Penrice are two Scottish stars linked.

Up the top end of the pitch, Rodgers is looking to bring young Fulham striker Callum Osmand to Parkhead while Sondre Orjasaeter of Sarpsborg is another winger who the Hoops are interested in. Sky Sports News journalist Anthony Joseph posted on X: “Celtic have reopened talks over a potential deal for Sarpsborg winger Sondre Ørjasæter. It’s understood the Hoops face competition from clubs in Germany and The Netherlands for the 21-year-old, but no concrete offers are on the table as things stand.”