Celtic have been dominating Scottish football under Brendan Rodgers and they will look to continue that in the upcoming season as well. For that, they will need to keep hold of their key players and add other reinforcements to their squad as Rangers have taken some massive strides in the transfer market.
Hoops defender Dedryck Boyata is currently being linked with a move to Ligue 1 outfit Lyon. Apart from them, there are other teams like Fulham who are in the hunt to sign the 27 year old Belgian. Boyata was part of Belgium’s squad which finished third in the World Cup in Russia. Boyata played the initial games in the heart of the defence as Vincent Kompany was out due to injury and showed a lot of heart in each of his outings, attracting rave reviews from experts.
He was a crucial part of Rodgers’ setup last campaign as he made 39 appearances in all competitions. Boyata is set to enter the final year of his contract at Celtic Park and the player is weighing up his options for the future. Lyon have shown an interest in him but are yet to formulate a bid for the player.
The Hoops had the best defensive record in Scottish football last season as they conceded just 25 goals throughout their campaign as Boyata played a crucial part in keeping it tight at the back. Their arch-rivals Rangers conceded exactly double that amount.
Celtic won the title on the canter last season as well and they have the distinction of winning the double treble. This was the seventh consecutive league win for the Bhoys and they don’t look like stopping in the upcoming season. However, Boyata’s departure will set them back as he is one of the most important defenders in the squad.
A move to Lyon or Fulham will be tempting as Boyata will like to establish himself in one of the tougher leagues of the world. He is often not seen in the same bracket as he plies his trade in Scottish football which is considered below par than the top 5 leagues of the world. And in the case of Lyon, he will also have much better opportunities to progress to the next round of the Champions League.
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Rodgers is facing a tough transfer window as now two of his best defenders are being strongly linked with a move away from the club; Kieran Tierney being the other one. Boyata is set to enter in the final year of his contract and if he doesn’t commit his long-term future at Celtic Park, then maybe selling him in this transfer period will be tempting for the Celtic gaffer as he wouldn’t want to lose him for free next season.
