Celtic 'make pre-contract offer' for wantaway playmaker - but competition is fierce

Celtic are reported to have made a pre-contract offer to Nimes midfielder Zinedine Ferhat.
Nimes' Algerian midfielder Zinedine Ferhat is entering the final six months of his contract and has been linked with Celtic.Nimes' Algerian midfielder Zinedine Ferhat is entering the final six months of his contract and has been linked with Celtic.
Nimes' Algerian midfielder Zinedine Ferhat is entering the final six months of his contract and has been linked with Celtic.

Media outlets in France claim that the current cinch Premiership leaders are one of a number of clubs interested in the Algerian, who is entering the final six months of his contract with the Ligue 2 outfit.

Celtic have been linked with the 28-year-old repeatedly in the past year, and Foot Mercato believes that manager Ange Postecoglou wants to bring Ferhat to Glasgow and that a contract for next season has been “offered”.

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However, current Turkish Super Lig leaders Trabzonspor are also credited with a serious interest, while clubs across the continent are aware of Ferhat’s position after he tried to engineer a departure from Nimes in January by refusing to train or play.

Trabzonspor could buy Ferhat before the Turkish transfer window closes on February 8, but if a move east does not materialise now, then Ferhat will spend the rest of the season at Nimes.

Ferhat, who has been capped 12 times by Algeria, has been at Nimes since 2019 following three years with fellow French club Le Havre. He was one of les Crocos’ key men as they managed to maintain their place in Ligue 1 for three seasons before eventually being relegated last season.

While the reliability of the reports into Celtic’s interest is unclear, Postecoglou already has strength and depth in his midfield following the January arrivals of Yosuke Ideguchi, Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley, the latter vying for an advanced midfield role alongside Tom Rogic and David Turnbull.

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