Ko Itakura has stated that he “really wanted” to stay with Schalke as the Bundesliga club confirmed they won’t be signing him permanently.
Celtic are reportedly monitoring the player’s situation this summer after he spent a year on loan with the German side [Sky Sports]. The likes of newly-promoted Fulham and Bournemouth are said to be keen on the player too [Sky Sports].
It was also reported by Sky that Schalke had a £6m option-to-buy fee in the loan agreement made last summer. But the club’s sporting director – Rouven Schroder – has confirmed this afternoon that they simply couldn’t afford to activate it.
Itakura, meanwhile, has also been speaking in the official statement by the club, and said the following as he weighs up where to go next:
“I really wanted to continue playing at Schalke and will miss all the people here. But I understand the situation behind the decision.
“I’m really thankful for my time at Schalke. S04 is a great club and we had an amazing season together. Every game and every minute at the Veltins-Arena was special for me. The fans are simply wonderful, they create a fantastic atmosphere. I felt like I was part of a big family.”
Ko Itakura now available – will Celtic make their move?
If Celtic are indeed monitoring the situation, it’s because they hold an interest. Now, it’s become officially clear that Schalke won’t be making their move. That allows any interested parties to come forward and deliver an offer.
Granted, there’s no guarantee that City will now look for a sum as low as £6m. They have a right to up that if they feel they could start a bidding war. After all, that fee was set before he set off on a promotion-winning season with Schalke that has increased his stock.
Celtic, however, need to invest in the centre-back position this summer. Even if Cameron Carter-Vickers signs permanently, there’s no denying that there’s a need for stronger backup.
Itakura was of course on the club’s radar last month too. Schalke confirmed when they first signed him that they had beaten the Hoops to his signature [Daily Record]. So that suggests there’s an appreciation of the player’s skillset from Ange Postecoglou.
Whether that’s enough to see us make a move remains to be seen. If there’s EPL interest sniffing around, that certainly has the potential to complicate things a tad.
But with confirmation of him now not staying with Schalke, it’s anyone’s guess as to where he ends up.
In other news, Reports gather pace on potential Celtic move for 19-goal Ryan Mmaee
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