Report: Steven Gerrard showing interest in second-tier player, Celtic have more urgency

Follow us on Google Discover

Steven Gerrard’s Rangers and Neil Lennon’s Celtic are interested in signing Kiki Kouyate from Troyes in the summer transfer window, according to France Football.

The report has credited Rangers, Celtic, Lens, Eintracht Frankfurt and Schalke 04 with interest in the central defender.

Lens have reportedly made a bid of €3 million (£2.67 million), but Troyes want at least €4.5 million (£4.01 million) as transfer fee for the Mali international and hope to get €5 million (£4.46 million) if there is a bidding war.

The report in the French publication has further claimed that Rangers manager Gerrard himself has shown interest in Kouyate, but it is their bitter Old Firm rivals Celtic who are showing the most urgency among the clubs to make the deal happen.

Stats

Kouyate has been at Troyes in Ligue 2 since leaving the Sporting Lisbon Under-23 side in January 2019 and has made himself a regular for the French side.

According to Transfermarkt.co.uk, the 23-year-old centre-back scored five goals in 18 Ligue 2 appearances this season, and scored one goal in 12 league matches during the second half of the 2018-19 campaign for Troyes.