Stephen McGowan has this morning reported via Scottish Daily Mail that Celtic are pursuing 22 year-old Brazilian star Vinicius Souza. However the Hoops are facing tough competition for the the holding midfielder with both Fenerbache Club Brugge and Bologna interested in signing the player who apparently is 60% owned by City Football Group.
The player was placed with Lommel – the City Group’s Belgian club – Souza impressed during a season-long loan at KV Mechelen.
Mark Lawwell will be well aware of the player and the deals that are already in place and that may well give Celtic an advantage over the chasing pack.
Souza is expected to be heading back out for another loan this season but Celtic have, have according to McGowan, scheduled discussions with the Brazilian’s representatives.
🇧🇷 | Vinicius Souza
Celtic have scheduled discussions with the representatives of Vinicius Souza over a potential move this summer.
The 22 year old defensive midfielder impressed on loan at KV Mechelen last season & will likely leave Lommel this summer.
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The Scottish Daily Mail reporter was often first to break reliable Celtic news when Peter Lawwell was the club’s CEO. That seemed to change last season but with in recent weeks he appears to have returned to top form breaking Celtic news stories, including of course last weekend’s exclusive that Barkas was heading to Utrecht on a season long loan.
That came on the same day that Daily Record were speculating that the club were preparing to rip up Barkas’ contract. That was wide of the mark, while McGowan’s info was informed and correct.
That points to a resumption of service and a reliability of the Souza interest, with Celtic in the market for midfield recruits after the loss of both Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton at the end of last season. McGowan also names Kevin N’Doram of Metz as another option that is interesting Celtic at the moment.
The much discussed talks taking place with Benjamin Siegrist are also mentioned as concerning Celtic’s pursuit of an additional left back to complement Greg Taylor, McGowan notes:
‘Left-back is also a priority, with Argentine Francisco Ortega and Mohanad Jeahze of Hammarby the subject of positive scouting reports.
‘Celtic also hope to complete permanent deals for winger Jota and central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and remain in the market for another ball-playing centre-half and a striker.’
So summarising all that it looks like we are after a goalkeeper, a left back, a ball playing centre back, a holding midfielder and a striker on top of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota.
Well that sounds mightily exciting, does it not?