According to the latest reports from the Times, Tottenham Hotspur will look to sell Victor Wanyama in January. The Kenyan midfielder came close to leaving the English club in the summer, but nothing materialised. Club Brugge, went close to signing him, and his former club Celtic were also interested.
Last month, Lennon indicated that the door could be open for a January move for the Spurs midfielder, but he also went on to reveal that Wanyama might upset the balance of the squad. The manager had said (The Scottish Sun), ”There was interest, but it never got off the ground. Could we look at it again in January? We’ll have to wait and see. We might not want to with the balance of the squad now, as well as the affordability.”
Wanyama’s wages are also likely to be an issue for the Hoops, and the player will have to take a significant pay cut if he decides to move back to Celtic Park. Given Wanyama’s quality, he will expect to start every time in midfield, but the Hoops have some decent options to choose from in the middle.
Why Wanyama’s signing will upset the team’s balance?
Celtic have two established midfielders in Callum McGregor and Scott Brown who generally start in the middle. The duo has been impressive, and that has kept Olivier Ntcham out of the playing eleven. The Frenchman does get some opportunities given the fact that Celtic compete on various fronts. However, the arrival of Wanyama will reduce Ntcham’s game-time further.
Wanyama can probably give someone like Scott Brown, a breather in the middle. However, keeping the captain out to fit in Wanyama might be a bit of a problem for Lennon. Even Nir Bitton can play in the defensive midfield role, so the Hoops are covered for the time being.
What should Lennon do?
There is no doubt that Wanyama will be a quality signing, but Celtic don’t need to go out of their way to try and lure or find room to afford him as they have some top options in the middle. Fans would probably love to see an established player like Wanyama coming back, but Lennon could end up in a massive dilemma.
Maybe a six-month loan spell would the right move instead of a permanent signing. The club could then look to spend the transfer funds on reinforcing other areas instead of a position where they have options.
