Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn is reportedly on the brink of sealing a move to RB Leipzig, with talks between the two clubs said to be at an “advanced stage.”
The German attacker, who bagged 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances last season, remains a hot property despite a noticeable dip in form during the second half of last season.
Interest in the 25-year-old has been mounting, with Newcastle United also credited with tracking his progress, although that appears to have got no further than three scouting missions. However, RB Leipzig appears to be leading the chase for the winger’s signature.
Valued at €12 million (£10.2 million) by Transfermarkt, Kuhn could fetch a significantly higher fee due to his long-term contract at Celtic Park, which runs until 2029. Sources suggest the final fee “is likely to be at least in line with the market value,” but potentially much more.
Celtic will have their own ideas on the price and if that isn’t met then Leipzig of anyone else can forget getting a massive bargain for a player who has shown that he can excel at the elite Champions League level.
Despite the buzz, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton believes the club may find it difficult to command a top-tier fee for Kuhn this summer. Speaking in his RecordSport column, Sutton outlined his thoughts on the matter.
“I have my doubts Celtic would get £15m for the German this summer, for a start. He struggled at first in Scotland as he struggled having lost weight with those dental problems.”
Sutton praised Kuhn’s early-season form, describing it as “sensational,” but pointed to a post-winter dip in performance following a clash with Bayern Munich as a potential red flag.
“He looked a certainty to clean up the player of the year awards. Yet he did go off the boil a bit… It does pose questions about his consistency,” Sutton noted.
While acknowledging the interest from Premier League sides like Newcastle, United, Chris Sutton questioned whether Kuhn would find playing time easy to come by in England.
“It just seems like the wrong time to be even considering selling,” he argued. “Celtic will struggle to get top dollar and yet I believe he will be worth more down the line.”
As Leipzig pushes to finalise the deal, the decision could now rest with the Celtic board – cash in now, or bet on Kuhn’s long-term value. That said if the player does want a move his agent will be informed of Celtic’s asking price and the ball will be in the agent’s court to get a club willing to meet the asking price.
That’s what happened with Matt O’Riley last summer. The days of securing high quality bargains buys in the East End of Glasgow appear to be over. And that’s no bad thing.
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We seen with kyogo last season, that if a player wants to move on, and the asking price is met, then not to much we can do as a club regarding it.
Never believed in keeping unhappy players, and very rarely will you end up getting a good return from them in both playing and the transfer market imo?
There was enough signs on show from kuhn, especially in the 2nd half of last season, to suggest his intentions for his career was elsewhere?
If such a case exists, then better off cashing in now, and looking for his replacement, would be my preferred choice?
If 2 top European clubs are wanting a player, a make a difference player, then £15M could become £20-£30M.
I would be happy to get £15-£20M.
He flatters to deceive-and sounds like we have bought a replacement already for €2M
One of the worst attitudes I’ve ever seen in a Celtic jersey, for such a talented player.
He went from hero to zero. He just gave up.
And we lost the cup final in the end.
Cash in!