Olivier Ntcham has put in an indifferent performance this season, and the French midfielder has blown hot and cold throughout this campaign. Many have chalked that up to the transfer speculation which took place in the summer and for the first time, the midfielder talked about the summer transfer rumours.
Ntcham was quoted as saying,”I just concentrate on my football. It’s my agent’s job to deal with all the talk about transfers while I just focus on my job at Celtic. I am happy [at Celtic] and I feel I am getting better as a player with every game.”
It was reported in the summer that Portuguese giants Porto had put in a £15m bid which was rejected. That clearly shows how much Rodgers and the club value Ntcham. The 22-year-old was signed last season and he has his contract up until 2021. Therefore, the club can demand a sizeable fee for their talented French midfielder.
The former Manchester City midfielder was an instrumental player for the Hoops last season as he scored nine goals and provided six assists. This season he has been a regular for the Bhoys but he has failed to turn up regularly with top performances. The fact that Rodgers doesn’t have a plausible option on the bench means that Ntcham has been a regular.
However, on his day Ntcham can be the best player on the pitch and he has the ability to dictate games. The central midfielder is often given the freedom to go forward as Rodgers gives the more conservative role to club captain Scott Brown. The duo complements each other well and on their day they can play their opponents out of the park.
Ntcham is a midfield powerhouse and his physical presence and pass picking abilities are his prime assets. He is not shy of going forward and helps the team often on the attacking front. English club West Ham United were also said to be interested in the summer and one can expect the Hammers to go after a central midfielder as they lack a bit of dynamism and power in midfield. Therefore it is likely that Ntcham would be a centre of attention in the transfer market.
However, it is good to see the player coming out and claiming that he is happy at the club. The midfielder is a nailed on starter for the Hoops and he has an excellent opportunity to improve himself by playing in every week at Park Head. With Brown also edging towards 34, Rodgers cannot afford to let a young midfielder like Ntcham leave and its imperative for the club to keep hold of him.
