Scottish Premiership giants Celtic were warned that Olivier Ntcham’s future would come under question if they failed to beat AEK Athens on Tuesday.
Celtic were warned about what could happen if they failed to navigate through the Champions League play-offs this season. And, after Tuesday’s disastrous 2-1 defeat to AEK Athens, Brendan Rodgers and co must wake up to the gravity of a desperate situation.
RMC Sport claimed on Tuesday that Porto had opened talks with the representatives of Olivier Ntcham and were hoping to lure the Frenchman to the Dragao before the end of August.
The report added that Porto’s hopes of pulling off a deal would be boosted if Celtic failed to reach the group stages of Europe’s premiere club competition. And after Marko Livaja’s crucial goal in Athens, expect the Primeira Liga champions to step up their pursuit of Ntcham.
Porto, after all, are guaranteed a place in the Champions League proper having won their domestic league title for the first time in five seasons back in May.
And you could hardly criticise Ntcham from being tempted by a move to Portugal while Celtic prepare for a Europa League qualifier against either Suduva or Spartaks Jurmala (us neither…).
The former Manchester City starlet, who moved to Celtic for £4.5 million in 2017, has been one of Celtic’s stars so far this season and was arguably the most impressive player on the pitch in the 1-1 first-let draw with AEK a week ago.
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