CalcioMercato report that Celtic are in talks to sign Schalke talent Malick Thiaw this summer – with Christopher Jullien seemingly set to go the other way. Thiaw has attracted interest from all over Europe in recent months.
Thiaw, who turns 21 in August, has already clocked up 58 senior appearances for the Bundesliga club since breaking through the club’s academy and into the first team. He played 32 times as Schalke gained promotion last term.
Teaming up with Celtic target Ko Itakura, Thiaw helped Schalke keep 10 clean sheets – scoring twice. Schalke won 17 of the 31 league games he featured in last term. He has a contract until 2024, but Celtic are in talks.
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Back in January, Liverpool and Everton were considering moves for the defender. The report from CM say AC Milan also considered a move for Thiaw in January – so quite a coup for Celtic, if they get him.
It comes after reports emerged on Wednesday, from widely-respected Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, that Schalke are set to complete a loan-to-buy deal to sign French giant Christopher Jullien from Celtic.
Celtic in talks to sign Schalke talent Thiaw
It is an intriguing one. Not just because Thiaw is being linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but because Jullien is going the other way. Could the two deals be linked? Perhaps, Jullien’s loan is a makeweight in a deal?
Another mysterious part of the move will be to understand Thiaw’s price tag. The Sunday Mirror claim – as per the Metro – there is a £7million clause in his Schalke deal. But promotion may have had an impact on that.
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