Celtic eye £10m-rated French ace and could strike players-plus-cash deal

Lys Mousset in action for Bournemouth against Everton in the English Premier League. The forward has been linked with Celtic. Picture: Getty Images

The 23-year-old was linked with Fulham during the January transfer window, but is apparently open to the idea swapping the English top flight for the Scottish Premiership after viewing the career trajectories of compatriots Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard.

Mousset, capped eight times by France Under-21s, joined the Cherries in 2016 for around £6 million after spending his formative years with Le Havre.

A total of 14 goals in 36 appearances for the French side saw him clinch a move to the south coast, although the centre-forward has managed just five goals in 68 games for Eddie Howe’s side.

Mousset, whose contract runs out in summer 2020, is reportedly valued at around £10 million by Bournemouth although the Hoops are reluctant to spend that much having shelled out £9 million on Odsonne Edouard last summer.

The Scottish champions could, however, look to strike a players-plus-cash deal for the forward, according to the Daily Mail.

Mousset has made 28 appearances this season, scoring a goal apiece in the Premier League and EFL Cup competitions.

In terms of the players Celtic could include as makeweights in any potential deal, Bournemouth have been credited with an interest in Scotland international defender Kieran Tierney, but the Hoops are extremely unlikely to sanction a move for the 21-year-old. On top of the Bhoys’ reluctance to sell, the left-back is also due to undergo a double hernia operation in the close season.

Meanwhile, Howe could scupper Aberdeen’s hopes of netting a sell-on fee for in-demand winger Ryan Fraser. The Scot has been linked with Arsenal after a fine season for Bournemouth but the Cherries boss has indicated that he would rather lose Fraser for nothing at the end of his contract than let him go for a fee this summer.