According to the reports from Daily Record, Tottenham midfielder Victor Wanyama has been deemed surplus to requirement with the January transfer window closing in a few hours. Reports say that Jose Mourinho is keen to move him away before the Friday deadline. Reports also add that Spurs could be forced to accept an offer below £9m. The Kenyan midfielder was valued around £17m just last summer only.
Lennon’s earlier comment on Wanyama
Celtic have been linked with the midfielder in the last few months, but Lennon had indicated that the Hoops wouldn’t be able to afford him. Earlier this month, the Celtic boss talked about Wanyama’s transfer and said, ”He’s in my thoughts but could we afford him? I doubt it very much. The problem is where to fit him in. I don’t think that’s going to be an option.”
Is Wanyama now worth considering?
With Wanyama’s price tag falling below £9m, it is fair to say that now he is more within Celtic’s grasps. However, it would be improbable to see Celtic spend on the midfielder. The Hoops have a settled midfield partnership of Scott Brown and Callum McGregor.
Brown is still going strong at 34 when many had assumed that the manager would have to manage his game time and use him smartly. The captain has continued to play most of the games, and that is a testament to his fitness and physical capabilities.
If Celtic goes on to sign Wanyama for big money, then he would be expected to play most of the games. Moreover, given his quality and strength, Wanyama would be a handy pick in the middle. However, that will create an unnecessary selection headache for Lennon. Olivier Ntcham is also a reliable option in the middle, and he too is trying to establish himself in the side. Nir Bitton is another player who can play in the defensive midfield role. Lennon had already talked about the problem of fitting him in.
A loan spell might be handy especially for crucial games in the Europa League. Wanyama will add much-needed strength experience and physicality. However, we believe that Celtic will not likely agree on a move if they have to pay most of Wanyama’s wages.
The club has also brought in Ismaila Soro who is a defensive midfielder. The signing of Wanyama now would make it feel like the Bhoys don’t trust their new arrival. Hence, even with Wanyama’s price tag going down significantly, we don’t see the Hoops going after the midfielder.
