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Celtic target needs to “prove a point” if Premier League winger makes move north

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Speculation linking Celtic with Jordan Ibe never seems to be far from the back pages and there has been further stories claiming that the Bournemouth player is set to make the long trip to Scotland from the south coast.

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League forward, Noel Whelan, has backed him to have a similar impact to the one that Scott Sinclair made if the transfer comes off.

So what has Whelan said?

When asked if he thought the deal was one that could be made, he said:

“People will be working on recruitment behind the scenes.

“I am pretty sure he is a player that Neil Lennon can get the best out of. They did it with Scott Sinclair. He had a fantastic period there.

“They probably see him as a similar player but he needs to meet the expectations people had of him when he left Liverpool. He was a fantastic player but has never hit the heights that were expected from people.

“Celtic have managed to create a great environment to be around, a winning environment.

“He will feel wanted there but he needs to step into that role and prove a point if he makes the move. There is more in him so this is a really big decision for him.”

So is Whelan correct?

There are similarities in that Sinclair had started a downward trajectory in terms of both clubs and levels that he was playing at and with Ibe failing to make the grade at Liverpool before moving to Bournemouth for £15m only to disappoint, it is easy to draw comparisons.

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The biggest difference is that Sinclair had shown what he was capable of before having a dip in form whereas Ibe hasn’t shown anything near the potential that he displayed when he burst onto the scene at Liverpool throughout his entire time at the Cherries.

Although he will be available on a free contract, Ibe would still command decent wages and be one of the club’s highest earners – and signing players from the Premier League doesn’t always equate to guaranteed success in Scotland.

The winger hasn’t had his troubles to seek in recent years but if he was to focus on applying himself on the pitch he could prove to be a bargain for Neil Lennon and certainly well worth the punt.

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