Why Celtic have done a good job by handing Olivier Ntcham a new deal
According to the Sky Sports, Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham has signed a new contract which will keep him at the Parkhead until at least the summer of 2022.
The Frenchman signed a four-year contract when he was transferred from Manchester City in July 2017 and has since made 68 Celtic appearances – 21 this season. He scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 defeat of Rangers in September and continues to be an important member of Brendan Rodgers’ squad.
Ntcham, 22, attracted a lot of interest from European clubs in the summer transfer window. As per a report from the Scottish Sun, Portuguese giants FC Porto made a £15million bid in summer but the Hoops rejected the offer. Truth to be told, £15million is a lot of money as far as the Scottish Premiership clubs are concerned but Celtic stood firm in their stance.
Their reluctance to sell Ntcham in summer clearly suggests that Brendan Rodgers rates the midfielder highly and wants to keep him in the team. Truly, the French midfielder was one of the influential figures in Celtic’s double treble achievement last term. However, his performances this term have been underwhelming, to say the least, and Ntcham is currently injured.
Yet, handing the 22-year-old a new deal speaks volumes. Celtic clearly don’t want to sell one of their prized assets as Rodgers must aim to win the Premiership title this season as well. Ntcham’s performances haven’t been inspiring this season but he is just 22 and has all the time to develop into a top midfielder.
Ntcham is a decent box-to-box midfielder who likes to make runs in the opposition’s box and score goals. He is strong, powerful, aerially dominant and is a good reader of the game. He is a good passer of the ball, can break the opposition’s flow and do a good job defensively as well when required.
Currently out injured, Rodgers would hope that the French midfielder recovers quickly and regains his mojo. Ntcham has looked off the pace and a tad too sloppy in possession but there can be no arguments over his work ethic and desire to compete for every single ball.
By handing Ntcham a new contract, Celtic are in a position to dictate terms if any team comes calling for the midfielder’s signature. But the 22-year-old is still young and developing under the watchful eyes of Rodgers, who looks clear with his intentions of holding onto the midfield ace.
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To ward off interest from some of Europe’s top dogs, Celtic have done a brilliant job by securing Ntcham’s future at Pride Park.
