Dedryck Boyata is apparently close to completing a deal with Hertha Berlin.
The defender is out of contract at the end of the season and is free to sign a pre-contract deal with any club outside of Scotland.
According to BZ Berlin:
At Hertha BSC, a transfer hammer with defensive edge Dedryck Boyata (Belgium international) is nearing completion!
BZ learned: The Berlin have been looking for a new central defender, want to claw a World Cup star. National player Dedryck Boyata (28), of the World Cup third Belgium (first place in the world rankings) will be the first new signing of the 2019/20 season. Boyata to Hertha – a giant number!
Boyata is currently out injured after picking up a hamstring injury during the Glasgow derby with Neil Lennon not expecting him to be available again this season.
The 28-year-old signed for Celtic in the summer of 2015 but like most of Ronny Deila’s signings his best form came under Brendan Rodgers.
Boyata made just one first team appearance in the first half of the 2016/17 season but after returning from the winter break in Dubai he became the first choice central defender.
It became obvious last summer that he wasn’t prepared to sign a new contract which led to an awkward stand off when he refused to play in the Champions League qualifier against AEK Athens.
There seemed to be no way back for the Belgian internationalist but Rodgers put him back into the team that faced Hamilton at the start of the season with his partnership with Filip Benkovic bringing some stability to the hoops defence.
