The Rangers transfer that fell apart, Brendan Rodgers' phone call and how international ace ended up at Celtic

Youssouf Mulumbu has lifted the lid on how close he came to becoming a Rangers player before an unexpected intervention from Brendan Rodgers ultimately paved the way for his move to Celtic.

The former DR Congo internationalist has revealed that he was already in advanced discussions with the Ibrox club, with a contract close to being finalised, when negotiations unexpectedly broke down.

Having returned to France believing the opportunity had disappeared, Mulumbu was subsequently contacted personally by Rodgers, who persuaded him to make the switch to Parkhead.

He arrived at Celtic from Kilmarnock in 2018, but his time in Glasgow proved relatively brief, with the midfielder making only a handful of appearances during his season at the club.

Recalling the extraordinary sequence of events, he told Paris Match Casino: “Football is crazy. I'll tell you the story of how I signed for Celtic - I was actually in advanced negotiations with Rangers.

“We were finalising the contract when negotiations suddenly stalled out of nowhere. I returned to France, and out of the blue, Brendan Rodgers called me personally. He spoke to me at length about the club and how he planned to integrate me.”

Despite fulfilling his ambition of joining one of Scotland's biggest clubs, Mulumbu admits he has regrets about how his Hoops career unfolded, believing he was too quick to consider leaving on loan when opportunities in the first team proved limited.

“Looking back, I should have shown more patience,” he added. “Instead of asking to go out on loan the moment I wasn't starting, I should have stayed, fought for my place in training, and waited for my opportunity. With hindsight, had I stayed put, I would have played far more games for Celtic.

“Moving to Celtic was a dream because I had always wanted to play for an elite club competing for silverware. The dynamic was very different from Kilmarnock, though. Celtic already had established midfield leaders, Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, and Nir Bitton.

“Forcing my way into that starting line-up was difficult. We had dropped into the Europa League after missing out on Champions League qualification, but Brendan Rodgers already had a settled tactical structure and preferred starting eleven.

“It was tough to break through, but playing at Celtic Park in front of those passionate fans was a special experience. In hindsight, I feel I could and should have done more to secure regular minutes.”

Steve Clarke spell reignited Mulumbu’s love of football

The former PSG youth’s move to Celtic came after an impressive spell at Rugby Park, where Mulumbu had rediscovered his enjoyment of football following a difficult period at Norwich City.

Having previously worked with Steve Clarke at West Brom, he was encouraged to move to Ayrshire by the ex-Scotland manager, who helped him regain his confidence and enthusiasm for the game.

Despite the difference in resources and facilities compared with some of his previous clubs, Mulumbu remembers his time in Ayrshire with considerable affection.

“Kilmarnock was incredible, you know,” the 39-year-old continued. I arrived there after a bad spell at Norwich where I had lost the passion for football. But I spoke with Steve Clarke at the time, and he told me to come and enjoy my football.

“Obviously, it's not the same wages and it's not the same facilities, but I was surprised because when I arrived there, I really enjoyed training every day and playing against good sides like Celtic, Rangers, and Aberdeen. And I discovered a country as well, you know. Different mentality, different culture. It was very, very good.

“I had played five games when I arrived, and after that, I was supposed to be transferred to Bordeaux in France. I remember I spoke with Steve Clarke and I spoke with the president at the time, and they were really sad because I was doing well. And the transfer failed.”