27 games, 22 goals: Rennes offer £6m for Richmond Boakye, Celtic and Newcastle know what they must do

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Red Star Belgrade striker Richmond Boakye is wanted by Celtic, Everton, Newcastle and West Brom.

Red Star Belgrade striker Richmond Boakye is a wanted man ahead of the January transfer window, and Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad report that Rennes have already made a bid.

Boakye, 24, has had spells with the likes of Juventus, Genoa, Sassuolo, Atalanta and Roda JC, but he is enjoying the best spell of his career so far with Serbian side Red Star.

A move in January of this year saw Boakye hit 16 goals in 20 games for Red Star to end last season, and he has continued his blistering scoring form this term, smashing 22 goals in 27 games in all competitions.

That record of 38 goals in 47 games for Red Star has triggered major interest in his signature, and Het Nieuwsblad in Belgium report that French side Rennes have made an opening offer of around €7million (£6million) ahead of the January transfer window.

It’s unlikely that Red Star will accept the first offer, but the news will be of interest to a host of British clubs. Serbian newspaper Informer recently claimed that Everton and West Brom are keen on Boakye, ESPN believe that Newcastle United are preparing a move in January and the Daily Mail even reported that Celtic and Chelsea are keeping an eye on the Ghanaian international.

Boakye’s goal record makes him an enticing January target, though less-than-impressive spells with Latina, Roda JC and Atalanta may have some questioning whether he is good enough for the Premier League.

Still, the likes of Celtic and Newcastle now know what they must do to sign Boayke; beat Rennes’ opening bid, with the Ligue 1 side kicking off the bidding at £6million, with a number of weeks to go until the start of the January transfer window.

If Celtic sell Moussa Dembele in January, Boakye would make sense as a replacement, coming at a fraction of the price, whilst the likes of Everton, Newcastle and West Brom should be able to financially outmuscle Rennes if they really do wish to sign Boakye in January.