Celtic want to sign Royal Antwerp winger in January | OneFootball

Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha is the subject of interest from Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers ahead of the January transfer window, according to the Daily Mail.

The Hoops boss wanted to bring the 23-year-old to the Parkhead last summer, but a serious muscle injury sidelined him for several months.

Antwerp chief executive officer Sven Jaecques recently confirmed that Celtic wanted Balikwisha, and his club are expected to be open to doing business.

They value the attacker at £5 million, and selling him in January makes plenty of sense as his contract expires in 2026.

Balikwisha ticks every box from Celtic’s perspective, and they could do with quality attacking reinforcements heading into the second half of the season.

The Bhoys were in talks with his representatives last summer and could now resume discussions in the coming weeks over a potential deal.

Balikwisha started his career at Standard Liege, where he notched nine goals in 40 appearances. He has bagged 25 goals in 124 matches for Antwerp.

Celtic may need to guarantee him regular playing opportunities to convince him to join them ahead of other clubs.

Balikwisha could prefer to end the campaign with Antwerp and decide on his future in the summer, and Celtic will likely remain keen on recruiting him if a January deal falls through.