Olivier Ntcham’s display against Hearts has been branded “excellent” by Celtic manager Neil Lennon.
The Frenchman has had a tough campaign of inconsistency at Parkhead. There was even a report today saying that Celtic were willing to sell Ntcham for around £7million (Football Insider).
Lennon’s praising of the midfielder certainly doesn’t make it sound like the club are looking to sell, however. Former Manchester City man Ntcham seriously turned on the style against the Jambos on Sunday. Spraying a terrific range of passes and showing his classy footwork, he just had one of those days.
And speaking in the Celtic View (Volume 54, Issue 43, Page 6), the interim boss bigged up the up-and-down midfielder.
“The players have been excellent, absolutely excellent. Now we look forward to a good week. Ntcham was excellent.
“In the second half he looked fitter and had more influence than in previous games. The senior players were given a bit of a rest against Hearts because there were a few bumps, bruises and strains.
“I was delighted with Bitton, Ntcham, Benkovic, and Scotty. They haven’t had much game-time of late, so getting them up to speed was important for their match sharpness and fitness.”
Would it be wrong to sell Ntcham?
The speculation over Ntcham’s future just won’t go away. He only signed a new contract that keeps his long-term future at Parkhead earlier this season. Any decision made over his future is fully in Celtic’s hands.
Of course, speculation that Porto are ready to come back in for the Frenchman has resurfaced too (Scottish Sun). The idea of £7m is too cheap. For the talent that Ntcham possesses, we could do much better.
We have to remember that, despite Ntcham’s faults, look at the qualities for his age. He’s only 23, and has perhaps the best range of passing in Scotland. Sometimes the physical battle can be a problem for him, but he’s not a player Celtic should just dispose of for a few million.
He’s made 36 appearances this season – not bad for a player who’s struggled. He is still a clear part of first-team matters at Parkhead, and on Sunday he was the classiest player on the pitch.
If Celtic are to make the decision to let Ntcham go this summer, it could prove to be a big mistake.
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