Foot Mercato has claimed that West Ham are in ‘advanced negotiations’ to sign Olivier Ntcham.
With almost one million followers the French website seem a more serious operation than the usual click-bait sites that specialise in last week’s rumours of getting 22 when they put 2 and 2 together.
Ntcham has been back in the Celtic starting XI since the winter break but has appeared unsettled over the last 12 months with reports of serious interest from France and Portugal.
Last summer after playing in the u-21 European Championship Finals in Italy he gave an interview to L’Equipe that was scathing about the Scottish game.
Foot Mercato reports:
Last summer, Olivier Ntcham animated the summer transfer window. The midfielder for Celtic Glasgow was notably in the sights of Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais. However, he remained in Scotland where he made a satisfactory first part of the season where he scored 5 goals and delivered 4 assists in 31 games.
The player trained in Le Havre and then in Manchester City could take advantage of this winter transfer window to change the air. According to our information, the 23-year-old midfielder is in advanced negotiations with West Ham. Under contract until June 2022 with the Bhoys, Olivier Ntcham could therefore make his comeback in England. However, this is not the only option for Hammers. The London club is also in talks with Pope Cheikh Diop (22) who is on loan this season from Olympique Lyonnais to Celta de Vigo.
With Ryan Christie available tonight to face St Johnstone it looks like Ntcham’s place could be under threat with the Scotland international expected to play in an advanced midfield role.
The signing of Ismaila Soro gives Neil Lennon another midfield option with a profit likely on the sale of Ntcham who cost £4.5m when he was signed from Manchester City in July 2017.
