The winger is in the form of his life months after admitting he reneged on exiting the Pro League side due to his ongoing injury woes.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha(Image: Standard Liege)
Red-hot Michel-Ange Balikwisha is giving a Celtic transfer a thumbs-up in more ways than one as he stands on the brink of a money-spinning exit from Royal Antwerp.
The winger is in the form of his life months after admitting he reneged on exiting the Pro League side due to his ongoing injury woes.
Celtic have long been admirers of a £6million-rated wide man who has earned rave reviews for his displays during the Belgian League playoffs with onlookers extolling his game-winning potential which includes two goals and four assists in his past five games.
Balikwisha has been personally responding to Celtic fans on social media touting him for Glasgow’s east end and appears ready to signal the green light on exiting his homeland after previously vowing to stay in situ until he was fully fit.
Celtic have been linked with Tyrhys Dolan and Blackburn Rovers are doing all they can to keep him in situ.
Rovers fans chanted for him to stay following their season-ending game against Sheffield United and boss Valerien Ismael reckons the free agent – valued at £8million – will take pause for breath before making his final call.
He said: “I think yes, that’s my feeling. Personally, I will do that. Personally, I will do that to take my time to assess the situation.
“Just to reflect on everything and to make the right decision. This is the most difficult one for the club, for sure. He will take his time, go on holiday and assess what he will do. It is his decision.
“As I say, he put himself in that position. It’s a good position for him, so we have to respect that. We have to be patient, we will try to keep him and fight for our players.
“He knows the environment he’s got, the love we give him. But at some point, it depends on the offer he has. Sometimes the offer dictates your decision.
“When you put yourself in a strong position in the transfer market and with your performances, you can get the rewards with a bigger offer, better opportunities. You have to accept this part of the game.
Blackburn Rovers’ Tyrhys Dolan
“We will see, it is about negotiations. He is an important player in the team and that’s what we can give him.”
Meanwhile. Owen Coyle reckons Celtic should keep Greg Taylor and believes a ‘really good player’ will be exiting if he departs Celtic Park this summer.
Speaking to Open Goal, he said: “I think I would keep Taylor (in the team). When you come from Kilmarnock for example, people are like, ‘it’s not that big’. They want big and fancy signings, and everything else, but he has shown to be a really, really good player.”
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