Why Olivier Ntcham Is Someone Who We Should Watch Out For This Season
Celtic are making their third summer signing this week following the captures of Jonny Hayes and Kundai Benyu when they are expected to land Olivier Ntcham from Manchester City.
The four-year deal, expected to cost an initial £4.5million, would mean the France under-21 midfielder leaving the Etihad having never played a first team game for Pep Guardiola’s side. Ntcham was in Glasgow at the weekend completing his medical and a few formalities before putting pen to paper.
The man born in Longjumeau spent the last two full campaigns on loan from City at Italian side Genoa, although the Serie A club decided not to take up an option to make the move a permanent one. He was well liked at the club though and has developed nicely having played 41 Serie A and Coppa Italia games, and scoring 3 goals in the process.
His former coach at Genoa, Andrea Mandorlini, has spoken of him in glowing terms and backed him to be a top level star in years to come. If he’s right, then he’s the sort of player Celtic need, to improve their dire Champions League form and announce themselves at the top table in European football.
Ntcham is known to be very comfortable in possession, a good motivator for others in the squad and very strong in the midfield. He’s not easily muscled out of possession and so the physicality of the Scottish Premiership, such as it is these days, would not be a worry for him.
As well as being able to make an immediate impact alongside Scott Brown, he is also someone Celtic may have in mind as a long term replacement for the skipper, who, while remaining in good form, cannot go on forever.
Ntcham moved to Man City from Le Havre back in 2012 when he was just 16 years of old. He signed a five-year deal back then but appears to have given up on working his way into Pep Guardiola’s thinking.
Celtic have a good working relationship with Manchester City now having signed Patrick Roberts on loan last year and will look to exploit that when negotiating this deal. Ntcham is still improving and may spring a surprise or two in the Celtic side in Europe over the course of the coming season.
His arrival at Celtic park and that of Graham Dorrans at Rangers means there is another slight improvement in the overall quality of the league now. Although a lot more is needed, it is a step in the right direction for Scottish football.