A report in Football Insider has claimed that Olivier Ntcham will not be sold by the Parkhead club in January despite finding himself regularly out of Neil Lennon’s first choice XI.
Marseille, Bordeaux and Lyon have previously been linked with the midfielder who was close to an exit in the summer only for speculation to not amount to anything.
Ntcham has found himself on the bench most weeks with Scott Brown and Callum McGregor preferred in the central midfield berths and Ryan Christie and the now fit again, Tom Rogic, filling the attacking midfield slot.
The 23-year-old has played 22 games and has produced 4 goals and 4 assists, comments the Frenchman made in the summer will not have endeared himself to Lennon and will no doubt have had a role to play in his shortage of game time. Crucially, he has started just six of Celtic’s league games this season, the £4.5m signing from Manchester City will be far from happy with his current situation if it continues into the new year.
The issue facing Lennon now is that he could be faced with two former key players in Ntcham and Scott Sinclair, kicking their heels every week, frustrated at not being able to leave the club and play more regular first-team football. In such an important season, off field drama will need to be kept to a minimum with Rangers, seemingly, making a more concerted effort to challenge for the title.
Should Ntcham get more game time for Celtic?
Yes
No
A motivated (and interested) Ntcham still has a lot to offer the Hoops and Lennon will need to be at his managerial best if he is to keep him on side for the remainder of the season, if, the reports are to be believed.