Marseilles are reported to be ready to make an offer for Olivier Ntcham.
The midfielder signed a second Celtic contract six months ago but after a disappointing season in Scotland an offer of £15m with an add on clause could be difficult for Celtic to resists.
The Daily Record reports:
Marseille are plotting a move that could see Celtic’s Olivier Ntcham return to his homeland this summer.
The French giants are set for a major recruitment drive and squad restructure after the appointment of new boss Andre Villas-Boas following the sacking of Rudi Garcia.
Ntcham, who signed a new long-term deal at Celtic last year, has struggled for regular game-time with injuries hampering his last campaign, but Record Sport can reveal that Marseille’s scouting staff have still been keeping tabs on him and have placed him high on their transfer window wishlist.
Striker Moussa Dembele has enjoyed fabulous success in Ligue 1 after leaving Parkhead for Lyon in a £19million deal nine months ago and their rivals have been assessing the midfielder’s development.
In the season just ended Ntcham was barely recognisable from the storming midfielder that joined Celtic in July 2017.
The young Frenchman settled instantly to partner Scott Brown in central midfield despite the competition provided by Stuart Armstrong, Callum McGregor and Nir Bitton.
Last season however was a different story with many fans linking his form to the departure of Moussa Dembele.
While he did score the only goal of the game in the Glasgow derby following the strikers’ transfer to Lyon he was sent off before half time in the next fixture, a 0-0 draw away to St Mirren.
If Celtic are prepared to entertain offers there are likely to be other clubs interested with Leicester City an obvious candidate for his signature.
Lasy summer it was reported that Porto had two bids rejected for Ntcham who will be part of the French u-21 squad at the European Championships towards the end of June.
