Celtic have made a first move towards signing Rennes attacker M’Baye Niang, but face major competition for his signature.
That’s according to Foot Mercato, who claim that Niang is suddenly a wanted man now he is returning to France with Rennes.
Celtic, Nottingham Forest and Anderlecht are understood to have made first moves for Niang by ‘taking some information’ about the attacker.
That suggests enquiries have been made to Niang’s representatives with a view to striking a deal this summer.
Niang spent the first half of this year on loan at Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, playing just five games before heading back to Rennes.
The 26-year-old seemingly doesn’t have a future with Rennes, but he isn’t interested in joining Nantes.
Niang smashed 29 goals in his first 80 games for Rennes, but now finds himself out of favour and on the chopping block.
Celtic will be in the market for a new attacker whether or not Odsonne Edouard leaves the club, and Niang would fit the bill as a player who has scored goals elsewhere and could cause problems in Scotland.
Niang was a hot prospect at Caen but simply hasn’t lived up to his billing, with Didier Deschamps branding him an ‘immense disaster’ off the pitch back in 2012 – an early statement that hasn’t exactly been proven wrong.
Silvio Berlusconi even compared Niang to Mario Balotelli at AC Milan, and it seems that Celtic aren’t too worried about Niang as a person having make a first move.
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