According to a recent report by the Scottish Sun, Premier League giants Southampton are said to be keeping tabs on the situation of Celtic’s French midfielder Olivier Ntcham. Neil Lennon has questioned the commitment levels of a flurry of players within his squad, even though no names were specified.
With Ntcham seemingly in and out of the squad with a degree of inconsistency in his play as well, Lennon might well be tempted to cash in on the midfielder this summer window. Although the report has clarified that Southampton are interested in Celtic’s Olivier Ntcham, there is a lack of clarity surrounding Lennon’s opinion of the player.
What Does Ntcham Offer To This Celtic Team?
The Frenchman is an attacking midfielder by trade but is more than capable of operating in a deep-lying midfield role as well. Despite not being the biggest player in the world, Ntcham isn’t afraid to put himself about and offers a certain degree of physicality in the final third of the pitch as well. Capable of controlling the tempo of the game with his passing while also producing sharp turns to dumbfound opposition defender, the 24-year-old even boasts a keen eye for goal. He was acquired from Premier League outfit Manchester City in the summer of 2017.
Although many expected Ntcham to develop into a midfield regular for Celtic, his integration into the team hasn’t been smooth by any stretch of the imagination. Still unable to find a consistent place in Neil Lennon’s setup, the Frenchman has been limited to the odd start, with most of his appearances for the Celts coming off the bench. Despite his limited involvement, Ntcham has featured in three Premiership matches already this season, while he played a part in both their Champions League qualifying encounters as well.
How Did Ntcham First Make A Name For Himself?
Having spent his childhood days with the Paris FC and La Havre academies, it wasn’t until 2012 that he made the switch to the UK by joining what seemed to be an ambitious Manchester City youth system. Despite being a member of the Manchester City books for quite a while, the midfielder wasn’t able to find a first-team space for him to exploit. Although that could be perceived as an indicator of his actual quality, it was more down to the fact that there was a revolution ongoing at the Etihad Stadium during that period in time. Having made around 50 appearances for the youth setup, Ntcham decided to leave Manchester in search of more regular opportunities.
What Is Celtic’s Current Midfield Situation?
Although the presence of names like Scott Brown and Callum McGregor might ease the pressure a little bit, it must be conceded that Ntcham is a slightly more attack-minded midfielder. Ryan Christie perhaps remains as the only alternative to Ntcham in the role, and this has limited Lennon’s team selection quite drastically over the last couple of seasons. The likes of Tom Rogic and Maryan Shved have barely got a run-in in the side, while the quality Ntcham has produced must be questioned as well.
Southampton Are Interested In Celtic’s Olivier Ntcham: Should Lennon Cash In?
The midfield area has been one of the biggest problem positions for Lennon this season, and a lot of that is down to the lack of options. Ryan Christie tends to double as both a winger and a midfielder at times, while the likes of Elyounoussi and Forrest don’t offer that level of utility. In this situation, Ntcham remains the only option that Lennon can depend on apart from Christie. Although selling Ntcham would likely have a bad impact on the team at this stage, it’s worth conceding that if an alternative can be acquired through the transfer market, then the sale might not do as much damage as expected to this Celtic setup.
