Celtic are on the market for new striker targets this window but one target has been dropped by his team

Celtic transfer target Mohamed Bamba has been dropped from his current squad due to a ‘lack of group discipline’.

The Hoops are scouring the transfer market for new centre-forward options as they look to take their performances this season up another level. Signing a striker, whether that’s permanently or on loan, has become a priority for the club as they eye a reignited Scottish Premiership title battle.

Celtic are currently six points behind league leaders Hearts, after failing to take their chance to snub them of the top spot back in December under Wilfried Nancy.

Following the French manager’s departure, Martin O’Neill is now back in the dugout for the rest of the season. With expected backing during the January window, Celtic are looking to bolster their ranks and push both Rangers and the Jambos.

Celtic target Mohamed Bamba dropped from current squad

FC Lorient manager Olivier Pantaloni has revealed that he made the decision to leave Bamba out of his squad for their recent Coupe de France clash. Lorient beat Hauts Lyonnais 3-1 in the round of 32 but Bamba was omitted from the team for the first time this season.

“It was simply a minor sanction for a lack of group discipline,” Pantaloni explained (via Glasgow Times).

“Repeated lapses have led me to believe that, at a certain point, to perform well, one must also adhere to the discipline we've established.

“There have been a few shortcomings in this regard, and he has been sanctioned for them.”

However, despite the concerns over his discipline, Bamba is expected to return to the fold and the manager has confirmed the player trained over the weekend.

Celtic links to Mohamed Bamba as Kyogo Furuhashi talks decline

Celtic had been linked with a sensational move for former star Kyogo Furuhashi but talks have faded into the background. The striker seems to be happy and determined to improve at Birmingham City, leaving the Hoops to explore other new options, including Lorient’s Bamba.

According to Ouest France, the Hoops have ‘launched a loan bid’ for the 24-year-old, who is under contract until 2028. Celtic are exploring a move that would reportedly include an option to buy clause in a potential contract.

Bamba has scored three goals this season but is struggling for regular playing time with Lorient. He has seven Ligue 1 starts and has come off the bench on eight occasions so far this season.

One sticking point this season is that Bamba is struggling for form. The 24-year-old has just one goal and two assists in all competitions so far, which is something the manager has also addressed.

Pantaloni revealed the staff put Bamba on penalties to rebuild his confidence but a missed effort against Lens was certainly a head-in-hands moment for all involved.

“We let him take the penalty, thinking that scoring might give him a boost of confidence and get him going again, hoping we'd see the Momo we knew when he first arrived in Lorient,” the boss said.

“He just can't seem to get his confidence back. It's not for lack of trying — we speak to him, we try to help by giving him minutes

“We know his qualities, but he's struggling to recapture what he brought when he joined us. But we still have a lot of faith in him, because if he finds his best form again, he can be a top-quality striker.”