Celtic look to be losing ground in their pursuit of Louis Munteanu, with new developments pointing to a likely move for the striker to a major European league.
The Hoops made an approach earlier in the summer, thought to be worth around £6.9 million. However, Cluj turned that down and are now dealing with stronger interest from clubs in Spain and France. The Romanian side are said to want a deal in the region of €12 million and it seems they’re close to getting it.
French side Rennes are believed to be leading the chase, with the club looking to replace striker Arnaud Kalimuendo after his recent transfer. Their offer reportedly meets Cluj’s asking price and talks are progressing.
At the same time, Valencia are also keen, offering a loan deal that includes a permanent move later. That would bring the total fee to a similar figure, but spread over time.
These offers have left Celtic facing a big decision. Without a better bid on the table, they’re at risk of being left behind.
With two clubs offering more money and better terms, it’s looking increasingly likely that Munteanu will continue his career outside of Scotland.
Romanian outlet Fanatik report: “At the moment in Cluj there are two offers for Louis Munteanu. In addition to the offer that has been written and talked about from Rennes of 12 million euros, there is also an offer from Valencia on the table with 2 million on loan, plus 10 million on condition of a permanent transfer.
“It comes to the same amount of 12 million euros plus bonuses, except that Valencia pays 2 million for a loan, and then is forced to transfer him permanently by paying another 10 million.”
With strong offers coming in from two top European clubs, Celtic’s chances of signing Munteanu have taken a hit. The club would need to come back with a much bigger bid to stay in the running, and even then, it might be hard to convince the striker to pick Scotland over Spain or France.
This also shows the wider challenge Celtic face in today’s transfer market. Competing with top clubs from major leagues often means working with a tighter budget. Even though Celtic have money to spend, they are still careful with how they use it. Paying over €12 million for one player might not fit with their usual approach.
Munteanu has not made any public comment about the interest. He is still under contract at Cluj and continues to be part of the team as their season begins. But with two strong bids now being considered, it looks likely that he will be leaving soon.
For Celtic, attention may now turn to other options. There is still a clear need to add firepower up front, but unless Cluj lower their price or Munteanu changes his mind, this transfer looks close to being off the table.
