Celtic have reportedly been very busy in the transfer market over the last few days, with a number of deals said to be close to completion. Sheffield Wednesday duo Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide arrived a couple of weeks ago, whilst Carl Starfelt is set to jet in to Glasgow ahead of a move from Rubin Kazan. In addition to those arrivals, Celtic are becoming increasingly linked with the signatures of Liel Abada, who is expected to join from Maccabi Petah Tikva, and Rennes defender Brandon Soppy.
Each of those talents are young players with decent pedigree. All of them are aged 20 or below, except Starfelt who is 26. Possibly the highest rated of the bunch is Brandon Soppy, who has attracted interest from a number of clubs including Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Despite the suitors circling, Soppy has already been rumoured to have agreed terms with Celtic and respected journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that he is the club’s next transfer target.
Celtic have reached an agreement with Rubin Kazan to sign Carl Starfelt, done deal and here we go. €5m as final fee – negotiations completed. Next target: Brandon Soppy. ⚪️🟢 #Celtic
Official announcement soon for Starfelt, personal terms agreed as advanced one week ago. 👇🏻 https://t.co/2X9k2zqb48
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 14, 2021
For those unfamiliar with French football, Soppy may not be a name that rolls off the tongue. However, he is an incredible talent who has represented France at U16, U17 and U18 level, whilst he graduated from the Rennes second string to make his first team debut last term.
Once breaking into the senior fold, Soppy made nine Ligue 1 appearances and started two Champions League matches. Indeed, he played 77 minutes as a right back against Sevilla in a narrow 1-0 defeat, whilst he also played the full 90 at centre half against the same opponents in the reverse fixture; a match that resulted in a 3-1 loss.
As evidenced above, Soppy is comfortable as a right back or when playing in the centre. He is primarily a full back though, and excels in that position with his pace and powerful physique. Standing at just under 6ft, he is a daunting proposition for wingers to face and has showcased his talents in successful matches against the likes of Lille, Montpellier and St Etienne.
It is believed that Rennes value the player at £6.3m, but with his contract set to expire next summer Celtic may be able to prize him away for a slightly cheaper price.
