According to reports, Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic planning a move for Rennes keeper Benoit Costil. French football outlet L’Equipe have reported that Hoops have been watching the France shot-stopper for months and could snap him up for nothing when his contract expires this summer.
And there is no way Brendan Rodgers would pass on an opportunity to get such a rich talent at absolutely nothing. Celtic don’t have the financial prowess to ship in highly-rated stars from across the world and yet their ambition to progress further in the European competition demands them to perform at the highest level. With the league now pretty much won, the former Liverpool boss has already started preparing for the next season.
The 29-year-old has now been with French side for six years. After a string of impressive displays at the club level, he made his France debut in November last year, keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 friendly draw with Ivory Coast. Celtic are not the only club eyeing him as Italian side Fiorentina had finalised a £4million move for the play, which failed at the last moment.
Although Fiorentina are still in the hunt, Celtic’s Champions League status could make them edge over the Italian club in his pursuit. Although Celtic’s current goalie, Craig Gordon, has been absolutely fantastic with the Scottish international conceding just 11 goals in his 22 matches, the 34-year-old has attracted interest from English club Chelsea and might be on his way out.
Chelsea failed to successfully bid for him in January with Rodgers unwilling to part ways with the keeper for £3million. However, we expect movement on that front this summer, hence this development. Rodgers had earlier brought in his former Swansea goalie Dorus de Vries from Championship side Nottingham Forest, who actually started Celtic’s campaign as the first choice.
However, he couldn’t convince the boss failing to keep even a single clean sheet in five outings. Rodgers fell back to Gordon and the experienced hands have done the magic for the Celts.
A youth product of French side SM Caen, Costil has spent loan stints at OC Vannes and CS Sedan-Ardennes before breaking into the Caen first team. After two good seasons, Rennes picked him up in 2011. He has conceded 307 goals in 243 games over a span of six years. With him arriving at Celtic, the Hoops are looking at a decent goalie for the next four years at least.
