Scottish Premiership champions Celtic were reportedly interested in signing Wigan Athletic’s Nick Powell but a move to the Bundesliga is on the cards now.
After a run of four straight Championship defeats, there’s more bad news for Wigan Athletic to start the week. It is well documented that star man Nick Powell is out of contract at the end of this season and, according to TEAMtalk, he has turned down the chance to sign a new deal at the DW Stadium.
And there’s no shortage of interest.
TEAMtalk report that Celtic have been leading the chase to take Powell up to Scotland. And a switch to the Scottish Premiership would represent the most high-profile move of the 24-year-old’s career since he joined Manchester United as a teenager after a stellar spell at Crewe Alexandra.
The Sun claimed back in September too that Celtic were preparing to offer a lucrative contract in order to lure Powell to Parkhead with the former Hull City loanee seemingly set to be rewarded with a pay rise.
But TEAMtalk suggest that Celtic have now been handed a major blow. It is understood that Bundesliga high-flyers RB Leipzig want to land Powell on a pre-contract agreement and the report claims that a move to Germany will appeal to the gifted number 10.
Leipzig’s Head of Recruitment Paul Mitchell, an esteemed talent spotter who worked at Southampton and Tottenham, is the driving force behind their interest in the Englishman. Premier League duo Brighton and Burnley are also understood to be interested.
Celtic and Leipzig have met twice in the Europa League group stages of late, Brendan Rodgers’ men winning 2-1 at Parkhead on Thursday night.
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