Why Southampton signing Olivier Ntcham would be a good move
According to The Sun, Southampton are lining up a summer deal for Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham.
The report also claims that they are preparing to sell Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who has attracted interest from other clubs. And to fill in the gap, the former Manchester City man is on their shortlist.
Ntcham, 23, came through the youth ranks of Paris FC and Le Havre FC before joining City’s U18 squad in the summer of 2012. Three years later, he was sent on loan to Italian side Genoa and a month after his loan spell, Celtic signed him in the summer of 2017.
He was a regular member in the squad in his debut season with the Hoops but suffered from a knee injury towards the end of the 2018/19 season, where he scored 6 goals and provided an assist in all competitions.
Though he has found it difficult to get enough game time, he has featured in 20 league games this season, scoring thrice while further setting up two. Ntcham has developed into a midfield powerhouse for Celtic under Neil Lennon, winning the Scottish League Cup and the Scottish Cup twice each in three years at Glasgow.
And therefore, Southampton are considering him as a replacement for Hojbjerg if the Danish international moves away from St. Mary’s stadium.
Meanwhile, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have done a decent job in moving up the table from the relegation zone. Star forward Danny Ings has been crucial for them upfront, scoring 14 goals.
However, they have few members in the midfield area in James Ward-Prowse, Stuart Armstrong and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. And if the former leaves, they will be left with only two forward-thinking midfielders.
Therefore, the manager needs to bring in reinforcement before the start of the next season. And interest in Ntcham is logical as he would be capable of boosting their midfield ranks with the experience he has gained in the Scottish Premiership.
The French U21 international has made 118 appearances for Celtic in three years. He has been a vital cog in Neil Lennon’s side, which is at the top of the Premiership table.
A versatile midfielder, Ntcham can play in both attacking and anchoring roles in the middle of the park. During his time at Genoa, he was sometimes deployed as a part of the attack as well.
Verdict
At 23, the Frenchman would have a second chance to make a name for himself in the Premier League after failing to break through at the Etihad earlier in his career.
Therefore, Southampton would bag a brilliant midfielder in place of Hojbjerg if they manage to lure Ntcham back to England in the summer.
