Celtic midfielder Ismaila Soro finds himself at the heart of a transfer tussle, with Bordeaux and Panathinaikos eagerly vying for his signature. [The Sun]

The Ivory Coast international recently completed a season-long loan spell at Portuguese top-flight club Arouca. However, upon his return to Celtic, Soro faces an uncertain future.

Although he still has one year remaining on his contract, the previous manager, Ange Postecoglou, would have permitted his departure, with it clear the Ivorian wasn’t in the boss’ plans. Nevertheless, there is a possibility that Soro might receive a fresh start under the club’s new management.

Both Bordeaux, currently competing in the French second tier, and Greek giants Panathinaikos have expressed their keen interest in acquiring the services of the 25-year-old midfielder. Soro’s last appearance for Celtic took place in February 2022, as a substitute in a 3-0 victory against Rangers, where he played for a mere two minutes.

Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon invested a substantial £2 million to secure Soro’s signature from Israeli outfit Bnei Yehuda in 2020, and initially, the midfielder made a promising impact, and many thought the player had a bright future at the club.

However, under Ange Postecoglou’s management, Soro found himself marginalised and was last included in the starting lineup for a Europa League match against Real Betis in December 2021, which held no significance in terms of qualification.

Now, Soro aims to revive his career either in France or Greece, hoping that Celtic will grant him the opportunity to depart. It is worth noting that the club recently released another underperforming player, Vasilis Barkas, who joined a new team on a free transfer earlier this week.