Celtic are reportedly interested in Algerian midfielder Haris Belkebla.
It seems the most far fetched of links, it would be quite a stretch to see the attraction in a 29-year-old central midfielder who is out of contract after spending last season with Karamoko Dembele with French side Brest.
During the close season midfielders Odin Thiago Holm and Kwon Hyeok-kyu were signed with that area of the team already full of good quality options for Brendan Rodgers.
Belkebla spent five seasons with Brest, the last four in the top flight but with the French leagues heavily scouted it would appear that his chance to move into the big time has come and gone.
Algerian website Fennec Football reports:
Indeed, according to sources close to the player’s entourage, Haris Belkebla would have received astronomical offers from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Among other things, it would be a question of Al Gharafa for Qatar, who had already had the Algerian’s profile in their sights for quite a while already.
Offers such as his desire to want to continue his career in Europe would be in doubt, which angers his supporters greatly.
Being one of the main targets of Sheffield United in England, but also of Celtic in Scotland, Belkebla has all the cards in hand to continue on the Old Continent. Just the idea of a departure for the Gulf sends shivers down the spine to some Internet users, who regret seeing so many renowned players heading to Qatar and Saudi Arabia for such crazy offers. Especially since the opportunity to join Sheffield, promoted to the Premier League, is a golden opportunity for Fennec to prove its value in the eyes of Djamel Belmadi for the next stages of the national team.
Over the last few seasons Celtic have signed Odsonne Edouard and Chris Jullien directly from France with Moussa Dembele and Olivier Ntcham both established youth internationalists before moving to English clubs as teenagers.
Tuesday’s match against Athletic Club Bilbao demonstrated the depth of options that Rodgers can call on. Unless a serious offer came in for Matt O’Riley or Reo Hatate it is unlikely that another midfielder is viewed as a transfer priority.
The story from Fennec seems like a favour for an agent looking to attract attention in his client, after five seasons at Brest, scoring eight goals in 30 appearances for the side finishing in 14th place in the 20 club division is good going and ought to have already attracted offers.
Links with Saudi clubs however can be doubled edged, clearly there is a lot of importing going on but other clubs will know that they stand very little chance of competing with the sort of offer that took Jota from Celtic.
It is highly unlikely that there is any 29-year-old free agent that would be ready to walk in and make a difference to the Celtic side with Rodgers putting an emphasis on building and developing a young group of players.
With a month to go in the transfer window additional signings are expected but since Maik Nawrocki emerged as a transfer target two weeks ago there hasn’t been a credible transfer suggestion.
CLICK HERE for Transfermarkt profile.
