An update has emerged regarding Celtic's interest in Rennes forward Mbaye Niang.

What's the talk?

According to Foot Mercato, via EverythingCeltic on Twitter, the Hoops are interested in sealing a deal for the 26-year-old this summer.

The report claims that the French outfit are keen on offloading him before the end of the window as he is not a part of their plans moving forward, with Ange Postecoglou now preparing to swoop for him.

Bye-bye Edouard

Dominic McKay could strike gold for Celtic with a swoop for Niang, a talented player who has lost his way in the past 12 months. The Hoops could bring him in and help resurrect his career, whilst potentially replacing Odsonne Edouard with him.

Brighton have reportedly made an offer for the Celtic frontman and it could be the perfect time to cash in on him now that he only has a year left on his contract. Their offer is said to be an initial £18.5m which could rise above £20m with add-ons, which McKay could rake in and then use partially to secure a deal for Niang to replace the 23-year-old

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig once claimed Niang has the potential to become a 'world-class' forward. He said: “M'Baye Niang is getting better and better. He surely has the potential to become a world-class player.”

In a tactical preview of an Inter v AC Milan clash in 2016, Bleacher Report had this to say on Niang: "On the other side, M'Baye Niang brings a different threat. And with De Sciglio often remaining deeper, the Frenchman is—unlike Suso—tasked with remaining near his touchline and providing width on the left.

"This is done with the intention of isolating Niang up against the opposing full-back, where his pace, strength and skill make him an extremely tricky prospect in one-on-one situations."

This shows that he has the ability to play at the top level, as he was clearly well-regarded whilst at Milan. He may not have lived up to his “world-class” hype just yet, having never been hugely prolific at any club, but Celtic could offer him a platform to get back on track, with his career far from over at the age of 26.

The centre-forward hit double figures in both the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns for Rennes in Ligue 1 and scored 21 goals in total. This proves that he can score at an impressive rate in one of Europe's best leagues, suggesting that he has the quality in front of goal to arrive at Celtic and become their talisman in place of Edouard. Therefore, McKay could strike gold by securing £20m+ for Edouard and replacing him with a talented player in the form of Niang.

AND in other news, Celtic in talks to sign £10k-p/w beast who is “incredibly fast”, Ange needs him...