BOYATA’S loathsome agent has given another interview, this time to Stephen Mcgowan at the Daily Mail, after his two interviews with the Belgian press effectively ended his client’s Celtic career over the weekend.
Jacques Lichtenstein has now claimed that Celtic turned down bids from three clubs for the defender who Brendan Rodgers brought in from the cold to play against Albion Rovers in the Scottish Cup in his first season as Celtic manager.
Boyata apparently was the subject of bids from Fenerbahce and Olympiakos as well as the one from Fulham last week that we already knew about.
After Celtic refused to sell Boyata to the London club on English transfer deadline day an enraged Lichtenstein turned up unannounced at the Celtic training base at Lennoxtown on Friday morning to demand a meeting with the Celtic manager.
A somewhat surprised Brendan Rodgers agreed to see Lichtenstein after his tasks for the morning were complete but the agent then failed to show up for the meeting, instead opting to speak to first the Belgian media and now the Daily Mail.
In the latest interview Lichtenstein outlines the offers that he has been able to generate for the player whose profile is high due to the three Group stages matches he played in at the World Cup and claims that Celtic have NOT made a ‘dignified’ offer to keep the player.
“Previously there was interest from Fulham, Olympiakos and Fenerbahce. Offers of £7million and £8m – but apparently Celtic is financially strong enough not to go into that. It’s strange, because on the other hand, the club apparently does not have the money to make Dedryck a dignified new contract proposal,” Lichtenstein said.
Boyata before leaving for the World Cup stated that he did have an offer from Celtic and that he was intending on signing it when he returned after the summer – at that stage he was unsure whether he would be included in the final World Cup squad.
As things stand Sevilla, Lazio and Roma are likely to follow up on their interest in Boyata. The Italian window apparently closes later this week so hopefully one of their sides will put in a decent bid and we can be shot of the player may supporters regard as a ‘Bomb Scare’ anyway.
Lichtenstein continued: “Dedryck is currently slightly injured. He does not want to take the risk of making that injury worse, because in four months he can talk to any club about a free transfer.”
Rodgers was asked about Lichtenstein’s outbursts in the Belgian media immediately after the 1-0 defeat at Hearts. He was unaware of what the loathsome agent had said at that point as his focus, quite naturally had been on the match, but the Celtic manager did give some information.
“Dedryck’s agent turned up at the training ground. The day before the game the training ground is closed.
“He wanted to speak to me at 10 o’clock. But at 10.30 am I had a game review.
“I told him I wanted to speak to him afterwards, but when I returned after the training, he was no longer there.”
Lichtenstein admits that is exactly what happened in his interview with Stephen Mcgowan.
“That’s right. Dedryck did not feel well, that’s why we did not stay, but if Brendan Rodgers wants to reach me, he can always do that.”
