West Ham United are set to sign former Celtic youngster Armstrong Okoflex after fighting off competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Crystal Palace, as reported by All Nigeria Soccer.
Should the highly-rated Irishman blossom south of the border, Ange Postecoglou would be within his rights to ask some serious questions about the man he replaced in the Parkhead dugout.
According to ANS, Okoflex walked away from Celtic after growing increasingly frustrated about the lack of first-team opportunities in the green half of Glasgow.
And who can blame him?
The winger played just 39 minutes of Premiership football during the final few months of the Neil Lennon era – and both of his appearances came in January, when most of Celtic’s first-team players were in isolation following that ill-fated trip to Dubai.
Is Armstrong Okoflex right to leave Celtic for West Ham?
Okoflex’s contract expired at the end of last season.
And it’s a testament to his talent that, despite his difficulties at Celtic, the Dublin-born forward still had plenty of clubs chasing his signature.
ANS claims that Newcastle made an approach earlier in the summer. Crystal Palace were interested too, having also tried to sign Okoflex in January.
West Ham appear to be in pole position, however, with Okoflex agreeing an initial two-year deal with the London giants this week.
Nothing is official just yet but it seems only a matter of time before Okoflex is pictured in claret and blue for the very first time.
Interestingly, a move to West Ham will see the teenager return to the English capital.
Okoflex spent five years at Arsenal before joining Celtic in 2018 and credits former Gunners coach Freddie Ljungberg for changing his position from a striker to a winger.
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