Celtic brought in Mohamed Elyounoussi on loan from Southampton in the summer, and the Norwegian made a massive impact in Celtic’s first half of the season. The winger has grabbed seven goals and six assists in all competitions already, and he fitted in well in Celtic’s 4-2-3-1 system.
The winger is currently easing into the first team after his injury setback which saw him miss a fair bit of the action. Celtic will have a decision on their hands regarding whether they would want to pursue the Southampton ace and bring him in permanently this summer.
What the reports say about Southampton’s stance
Reports from the Telegraph on 7th February had revealed that Southampton were likely to sell Elyounoussi in the summer. The Saints are reportedly looking to cut down their squad size. On loan ace, Elyounoussi’s name is also on the chopping block.
Given his impact, many would want him to move permanently to Glasgow. However, his price tag could bother Celtic a bit. The Saints signed him for £16m not too long ago, and we believe that they would look to recoup most of that money (logical, right). However, reports last year from the Independent stated that Celtic could sign him for around £10m, which means the English club are willing to take a loss on Elyounoussi.
Nevertheless, that would still make the 25-year-old Celtic’s record signing. In the recent past, the Hoops have shown that they are willing to splash the cash on the right players as they coughed up sizeable fees for the likes of Christopher Jullien and Odsonne Edouard.
Is Elyounoussi worth going for £10m?
If Southampton were to put up an asking price of £10m, then Elyounoussi would definitely be worth considering. Elyounoussi fitted in the Celtic system well as he is sharp with his movement and the winger has shown a good instinct for a goal. The Norwegian has quick feet which allow him to wriggle out of tight spaces and he has been effective on the left flank when in full flow.
However, we believe that the Hoops should wait and see for now regarding how he goes about his business in the second half of the campaign. The winger hasn’t received too many chances now that he is fit as Lennon has resorted to playing in the 3-5-2 system. We believe that Elyounousi could be useful even up top alongside Edouard. However, Lennon is yet to give him a significant role in this system.
£10m will still be a sizeable fee for the Bhoys, and they should watch how the winger goes about his business in the second half of the campaign. If he manages to surpass his previous form and goes on to score crucial goals for Celtic, then Lennon should sign him permanently.
