If a recent report from the French outlet Ouest France (as cited by The Daily Record) is believed to be true, Celtic are plotting a January move for Mohamed Bamba. A dramatic reunion with Kyogo Furuhashi has fallen through, and the Hoops have now shifted their focus elsewhere, with the Lorient ‘number 9’ emerging as a key transfer target with a view to fixing their striker conundrum.
The 24-year-old former Ivory Coast youth international progressed through the academy ranks of Bouaké before featuring for their senior side back in his homeland. He then plied his trade in Israel and flourished with Hapoel Rishon LeZion in the second division. Impressed by his sharpness and poaching traits, Wolfsberg snapped him up for €200k in the summer of 2023.
Struggle in France After Initial Excellence
He made an immediate impact in the Austrian Bundesliga, which led to a €5m transfer to Lorient six months later. He netted 8 goals in 16 Ligue 1 matches in the second half of the 2023-24 season, but failed to prevent Les Merlus from being relegated to the second division.
Bamba missed months of action last season due to injuries. Yet he scored 3 goals and assisted 7 times in 18 Ligue 2 outings. Lorient grabbed an immediate promotion, but the Ivorian is so far unable to replicate his goalscoring form, with just one league goal. Sambou Soumano has lately been the preferred choice high up the pitch, and the loan offer (with an option to buy) from Celtic would present him with a chance to redeem his reputation.
Why Celtic Should Still Bring Him In
The Bhoys endured a nightmare in the summer when they let Adam Idah depart without roping in a like-for-like replacement. They tried to control the damage by snapping up free agent Kelechi Iheanacho after the window was slammed shut, but the persistent fitness woes have minimised his minutes up top.
Callum Osmand, initially brought in as a project signing, was making his opportunities count. However, the young ‘number 9’ is also sidelined for months, having undergone hamstring surgery in November. Shin Yamada, the other summer recruit, has not done enough to cement a first-team role. Martin O’Neill, back in the dugout after Wilfried Nancy’s dismissal, has demanded January signings to keep the title hopes alive, and Bamba, known for his athleticism, off-the-ball work rate and pressing abilities, should spearhead the Celtic attack.
The arrival of the centre-forward would allow Daizen Maeda operate from his preferred wide attacking spot, with Johnny Kenny set to feature as the understudy until Iheanacho regains fitness, overcoming his recurring hamstring injury.
