Million Manhoef

CELTIC are eyeing up Stoke City winger Million Manhoef.

The Dutchman’s pace and trickery have stood out this season, and Brendan Rodgers is looking at him as a potential squad signing


Manhoef, 23, who was previously linked with Rangers, joined the Potters from Vitesse for around £3million.

But the ex-Netherlands Under-21 ace could be sold, with relegation-threatened Stoke eyeing a decent fee for him.

Celts have Jota, Nicolas Kuhn, James Forrest and Yang Hyun-jun battling for wide positions, but with Luis Palma set to depart, extra depth is needed.

Manhoef has made 31 appearances in the Championship for Stoke, scoring four goals and providing four assists



His contract with the Staffordshire club runs until 2027.

Gers were tracking Manhoef when he was Vitesse with a view to a move in the January transfer window of the 2023/24 season.

Back then it was understood that Leicester and Preston were among a number of other clubs chasing the winger. who back then was rated at £2.5m.

In the end he remained with the Eredivisie side for another year, joining Stoke on deadline day


Manhoef originally looked destined for a career in KICKBOXING before choosing football.

He almost followed his father footsteps in the sport, three-time MMA world champion Melvin, a mixed martial arts and kickboxing legend with one of the best knockout records in history


The younger Manhoef was even a youth champion before he switched to football.

Speaking about his past in 2023, he said: "My father and mother separated when I was six or seven. But before that, of course, I was pushed into kickboxing.


I was two and a half years old when I put on the kickboxing gloves. When I turned four I also started playing football and did both sports. I fought in competitions and became Dutch kickboxing champion.

"Kickboxing is certainly a great passion, but at a certain point I could no longer combine the two sports and I chose football.

"It's a good thing that many people know that he is my father.

"But I want to do my own thing



He has had a great career, but to do that he had to make sacrifices with his family. And I grew up with my mother.

"I have experienced pressure at some point in my career because of my surname, but it's not been too bad


When I first broke into the Vitesse Arnhem first team I heard about it a lot and everyone was always asking about him.

"I used to say, 'what about my mother!

 

Rather sign Millionaire Shortbread.

 

I remember when we had Abada that on a lot of the scoring or goal contribution charts for young players in leagues outside the big 5, Manhoef was right up there close to him.

I have never seen him play but recall him getting of to a decent start at Stoke.