Mohammed Elyounoussi.

Will be 3 years since they paid that fee at the end of the season, and there was a lot of talk that he was available for 9 last summer.

Surely a bid of around 7 million would tempt them? We also have a pretty good relationship with Southampton.

 

I would love it if we could reach a deal with Southampton and sign Elyounoussi permanently for sure. I am not optimistic but hope I am wrong.

 

Swap deal with Ntcham

 

Funny. That exact thought did cross my mind

 

Celtic will need to pay at least £8million to sign Mohamed Elyounoussi permanently from Southampton in January, Football Insider understands.

The Scottish giants beat Real Betis to the capture of the Norway international winger on a second consecutive season-long loan in the summer.


He has become increasingly influential in Neil Lennon’s side and scored a hat-trick in last Sunday’s 4-1 win at Motherwell to take some of the heat off the manager.



That has led to calls from a significant section of Celtic fans for the club to fast-track a permanent move for the Norway international, 26, in January rather than allow him to head back to Southampton at the end of the season.

The Hoops failed to re-sign Fraser Forster after his brilliant 2019-20 campaign led him back up Ralph Hasenhuttl’s pecking order.


A Celtic source has told Football Insider how the club were told in the summer it would cost £8-10million to sign Elyounoussi in the summer.


That figure is unlikely to change going into January as the winger has a contract with the Saints that runs until 2023.

The feat for Celtic is Elyounoussi’s value could rise if he continues to win matches with his goals and assists.

He already has 11 goals and four assists from 19 matches this season and has been the team’s most consistently effective attacking player.


Elyounoussi ended his first loan season at Celtic in the SPFL team of the year despite missing months of the campaign with a foot injury even before the lockdown led to a premature halt.

He joined Southampton for £16million in the summer of 2018 from Basel but struggled to make an impression in his first season before being loaned out.

 

Whilst I dont think football insider are very reliable, if he was available for 8 million I'd buy him, or even a swap deal with Ntcham.

 

ME: We are really determined to turn things around.”

ME: “We have to keep pushing each other and that’s what we try to do on the pitch, and at training. We demand more from each other.”


ME: Lille are a strong team but we have nothing to lose. We’ll go out, enjoy ourselves and play with freedom.”

ME:It’s always nice to score goals but in the end, you want to win games. It’s a team sport. I play to win, and for the three points. My position requires to score goals and assists, which I’m happy to do but we want to win.

 

8 million? If I’m
Honest I don’t think he is worth it, has flashes but then goes missing.

 

Far too inconsistent to be paying £8M for, Johnston could establish himself ahead of Moi.

 

Doesn't create anywhere near enough ,sure he weighs in with some goals but his overall contribution couldn't possibly justify £8 million .I would have serious reservations about spending half that on him because he ain't a winger i would like to see him in behind the striker to see if he's any better than rogic in there

 

Haven't utilised him well enough IMO. He's been asked to play a number of different positions and been in and out of the team.

His performances against Lazio last season showed his quality and tenacity. I suppose that could be said for the whole team though. What has happened to them? That's the million dollar question!

 

Blaming no fans is disgraceful.

 

MOHAMED Elyounoussi last night revealed that Parkhead manager Neil Lennon had been unaffected by fans’ calling for him to be sacked - and insisted that “Mr Celtic” can still deliver 10-In-A-Row.

Supporters staged angry protests outside Celtic Park following the Betfred Cup defeat to Ross County last month and Premiership draw with St Johnstone on Sunday.

The Glasgow club’s board has publicly backed the Northern Irishman after both results and he appears set to remain in charge until the Rangers game at Ibrox next month at least.


Elyounoussi has felt for Lennon during the Scottish champions’ slump in form and admitted he was pleased when the Celtic hierarchy refused to bow to pressure from fans.

The Norwegian, who has scored eight goals in the last 10 games, is convinced his manager can survive and prove his critics wrong come the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

“We the players are 100 per cent behind him and the rest of the coaching staff,” he said. “I really feel bad for him.


“Of course, everyone is looking at him for everything, but it’s a team sport. We as players can improve and we know we should have done better. We are all in this together. We win as a team and we lose as a team.

“Personally, I feel for him as he is Mr Celtic. He’s been here for a long time as a player and now as a manager. He’s won a lot of things and is a legend here so I really feel for him as it must be hard for him when people are saying things.

“But in the end he’s a tough guy and he can handle it and I think he’s handling things really well and we as players are 100 per cent behind him as well.”

Elyounoussi added: “We have a 100-per-cent belief in ourselves and in the cause, our plan and in everything we do. I’m sure our fans are behind us in both the good and the bad times.

“Now the results aren’t there and I understand they are disappointed, but in general we have everyone behind us. The fans are passionate and they should be, when you win then everything is great and it’s not when things are bad and that’s how it should be.


“I’m really confident and really believe that we are going to turn things around and win the title in the end.”

Elyounoussi scored two goals against Lille, who Celtic face again at Parkhead in their final Europa League group game this evening, in a 2-2 draw over in France back in October.

However, the winger and his team mates have struggled to replicate that kind of performance in recent weeks at home - they have failed to triumph at their own stadium in their last five games.

But the Southampton loanee is determined to halt that run tonight with a morale-boosting win over the Group H leaders.

“As a player you deal with it by coming in each morning, working hard and trying to get better,” he said. “Everyone at the club has a been disappointed from the point of view of the fans. I understand that really. That’s how it should be.


“We just have too get back on track, work hard and try to change that. The first chance we have to do that is Thursday. Hopefully the whole thing will change to the team we are.

“Celtic Park without the fans is not the same and you can see that. It’s hard when we don’t have them in the stands. They are the ones who are always pushing us when we need them the most during the games.

“We are affected by that, but, in the end, we can only look forward. There’s nothing we can do about the games, they are gone now. The only thing we can do now is win the games which are ahead of us and focus on that. We will turn things around and really show that.”

Elyounoussi continued: “The first challenge is Thursday as we know Lille are a good team. We will try to take something positive out of it as we have nothing to lose. We will go out and enjoy it and try to play with a bit of freedom.

“Then we will have the next challenge so the cup final will come sooner rather than later but our focus is on the right now as we live in the present at the moment.”

 

It's not disgraceful at all. It's definitely a factor but it's not a deciding factor in their collapse in form but it certainly won't be helping.

I've said it all season no fans hurts us and helps Sevco. Our players thrive on the atmosphere from fans like Scott Brown. Sevco players actually get nervous playing in front of their own fans and make mistakes.

Every game is like a friendly with no fans it's pure *.

 

Mr * Celtic...

Don't make me throw up, the amount of driveling pish were having to deal with coming from Boardroom, players and management is ridiculous.

 

Best performance in a Celtic jersey by far.

thought he was immense and did everything for the team and his team mates.

Proud of him after tonight!