Celtic transfer path 'cleared' by Euro club for £5m target after 'concrete interest' shown as Rodgers eyes more competition
The attacker is expected to be given the green light to leave Belgian side Royal Antwerp this month amid Hoops interest
Long-term Celtic transfer target Michel-Ange Balikwisha will reportedly be allowed to leave Belgian club Royal Antwerp this month as burning rumours over a potential move to Parkhead resurfaced.
The Hoops are thought to have renewed their interest in the 23-year-old winger with a £5 million deal for the ex-Belgium youth international now seemingly back on the agenda after the highly-rated attacker made his comeback from injury in middle of December.
Balikwisha was tipped to complete a transfer to the Scottish champions last summer and it was even reported at the time that manager Brendan Rodgers has spoken personally with the player about a possible move, but those talks were curtailed when he suffered a muscle tear which ruled him out of action for several months.
However, a new wide man is understood to be high on Rodgers’ shopping list as he looks to add more competition for first-team mainstay’s Nicolas Kuhn and Daizen Maeda. And Balikwisha, who has 18 months remaining on his current contract, is expected to be given the green light to head for pastures new with Antwerp said to be willing to sell in January for around £5m.
Gazet van Antwerpen report the Belgian outfit are keen to recoup a fee to allow sporting director Marc Overmars to splash some funds in other areas of the team and are “prepared to cooperate” with the forward over his departure.
It is also noted that both the Hoops and Stade Rennes have displayed “concrete interest” in recent months, but no offers have been tabled for Balikwisha, who helped Antwerp to a domestic double in season 2022/23, so far in this window.
Antwerp chairman Sven Jacques stated back in September: “Balikwisha was down with an injury, so we knew it was going to be difficult. Two clubs (Celtic and Rennes) kept negotiating to possible still bring him in. But in the meantime, we know that such clubs will rather focus on January anyway. We will see what happens.”
Balikwisha arrival in Glasgow’s east end would likely facilitate a departure for Luis Palma, who has made just 10 appearances in all competitions this term and been relegated to a fringe player in his second season.
The Daily Record claim the Premiership leaders are in no rush to sell Palma with James Forrest currently sidelined through injury, but fresh reports in his homeland claim that bids from Germany and France have already been rejected and a £3.3m price tag has been placed on the Honduran international.