Michel-Ange Balikwisha has been heavily linked with Celtic this summer, but it now looks like the move won’t happen.
Royal Antwerp are thought to be asking for between £4 million and £5 million to sell the winger.
Time is tight. Brendan Rodgers is only allowed to add two new players to his squad before facing Kairat Almaty, and those signings must be registered by Tuesday night. That doesn’t leave much space for drawn-out talks, especially with Antwerp sticking to their asking price. The deadline is fast approaching, and Celtic can’t afford to waste time.
Journalist Mark Hendry has now dismissed any real chance of the deal happening, writing revealing that it was never likely and now looks completely off. It’s a clear indication that Celtic are set to move on to other targets.
With the deadline looming, Celtic will need to turn to other targets if they want to strengthen before the cut-off. Balikwisha had been considered, but it’s now unlikely he’ll be one of the two players Rodgers adds to the squad in time.
He said: (CeltsAreHere Substack), “Michel-Ange Balikwisha was always a long shot, and now it’s looking like a complete non-starter.”
If the Balikwisha deal doesn’t happen, as now seems likely, Celtic will need to quickly find other players who can come in and make a difference ahead of their European tie. Rodgers has to move fast to get signings over the line before Tuesday’s deadline. With time running short, the club may need to focus on players who are easier to sign or already closer to joining.
Trying to work out a deal with Antwerp or any other club for a player like Balikwisha could drag on. That’s not ideal with the Champions League play-offs just around the corner. Getting through to the league phase is massive for the club both on and off the pitch, so Rodgers now needs to step up the pace in the transfer market.
It’s still unclear how close Celtic actually came to landing Balikwisha. The asking price, while possibly fair for his talent, looks to have been a major roadblock. Antwerp don’t seem willing to budge, and the fee may just be too much for Celtic to pay under such a tight deadline.
Even without Balikwisha, Celtic can’t afford to stand still. The pressure is growing as the clock ticks down. With so much riding on the European campaign, these next few days are massive.
With that move now off the table, attention turns to who the club will go for next and whether Rodgers can seal the right deals in time.
