With a mass exodus on the cards at Celtic this summer, the Hoops will need to get their recruitment strategy in place swiftly.
Of course, that will depend on if and when the new incoming manager at Parkhead is announced.
What’s the word?
With Odsonne Edouard potentially heading for pastures new, the Bhoys will need to find new players to bolster their attack.
One such forward could be Aaron Boupendza. The winger currently plays for Hatayspor in Turkey but plans to lure him to Glasgow are now reportedly in full flow.
90min linked the flying attacker with a move to Celtic a few months ago but reports closer to his homeland in Gabon suggest that the deal has progressed. According to Gabon Review (via Milliyet) the Hoops have started negotiations to sign Boupendza.
They suggested that Celtic offered a sum of €6.5m (£5.5m) to begin with, but that was rejected by Hatayspor. Negotiations have continued and it now appears that Paradise chiefs are ready to throw €8m (£6.8m) at the 24-year-old.
Unfortunately, with other Turkish clubs interested in prising him away, his preference is to remain in the Super Lig.
Perfect Elyounoussi replacement
Celtic may be in the hunt to find a successor for the exit-bound Edouard but replacing Mohamed Elyounoussi will also be important.
The Norwegian is heading back to Southampton now that the season in Scotland has concluded, but it feels highly unlikely that Dominic McKay and co will cough up the £5m required to sign him permanently. They’d be much better off saving their money and spending it on Boupendza instead.
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The Gabon international finished as the Super Lig’s top scorer this term with 22 strikes in 36 outings, proving himself to be a ruthless and clinical finisher.
His assist tally amounted to just one but, with his ability to play on the flanks, he could perfectly fill the void left behind by Elyounoussi.
The Norwegian only beat the goalkeeper three times in his final 16 league matches of the campaign but he still ended 2020/21 with 17 strikes in all competitions. That made the 26-year-old Celtic’s second top scorer, so they’ll need to find a replacement from somewhere.
Compared to Kylian Mbappe, better options than Boupendza won’t come much cheaper for the Parkhead hierarchy. Blessed with speed and quick feet, his dribbling is incredibly similar to Elyonoussi’s.
The Celtic loanee registered 2.3 per game in the Premiership this season, while Boupendza managed 2.6 dribbles per game in Turkey. That meant he completed 93 take-ons throughout the campaign, the second highest in the whole of the Super Lig.
Celtic must ensure that negotiations go well here; the Gabon international would be a superb acquisition in the final third and an upgrade on what they had this term.