According to a recent report by Le10Sport, Ligue 1 outfit Nice are claimed to be interested in signing Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham this summer, as manager Patrick Vieira targets a reunion with the player he had spent some time with during his stint at Manchester City. The report picks out all the names that are currently on the Ligue 1 side’s wish-list for the summer, which includes the likes of Baptiste Santamaria and Chelsea’s Tiemoue Bakayoko. It has been clarified that the gaffer is in fact in search of solid midfielders for his side.
With Patrick Vieira eyeing an Olivier Ntcham reunion, having already had him in mind for a while now, Celtic gaffer Neil Lennon could be presented with the opportunity of selling him at a fairly acceptable profit. The 24-year-old is contracted to the Parkhead club until the end of the 2022 league campaign, which effectively means that the Celts could be expecting a decent transfer fee as well. Moreover, the opportunity to move back to his home country could be an attractive prospect for the player too.
What Has Olivier Ntcham’s Season Been Like?
The Frenchman started the campaign in excellent fashion this time around, scoring on the opening weekend of Premiership action. Even after that, the 24-year-old went on to become an important part of the Hoops’ midfield line, forming a delectable partnership with veteran ace Scott Brown. Although Ntcham’s influence did slowly begin to dwindle towards the final weeks of the campaign, the sheer impact he had this season cannot be underplayed.
The tall midfielder scored multiple important goals over the course of the year, with the most crucial one of those coming in the Europa League against Lazio. As important as he was to the team, Lennon was aware of the fact that overplaying Ntcham could be asking for trouble.
The Frenchman was hence utilised with a lot of caution across various competitions over the course of the season. The former Manchester City man even scored a brace in a 5-0 win against Patrick Thistle in the Premiership this term.
What Does Olivier Ntcham Add To The Celts’ Midfield?
The 24-year-old is a combative central midfielder who likes to get on the ball and make things happen for his team. Capable of beating most defenders with his quick feet and trickery, Ntcham also boasts excellent ball control as well as general balance while at full flow. Having formed a good partnership with Scott Brown in the heart of the side, the Frenchman has been quite impressive throughout the season. With that said though, it must be conceded that two of his biggest strengths as a player are delivering long balls from midfield and striking long shots from range.
Patrick Vieira Eyeing Olivier Ntcham Reunion: Can Celtic Afford To Lose Him?
The Celts have been the dominant force in the Scottish Premiership in recent memory, and a lot of that has been down to their recruitment and utilisation of players. Neil Lennon has managed the side extremely efficiently over the course of the season, and his team selection has been quite commendable too. Ntcham is now an important part of Lennon’s current setup at Parkhead, and any external advances for the player should hence be sent back immediately by the Celts, irrespective of the price in question.
