Former Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama is available on loan this summer, so should Neil Lennon pounce and seal a return for his former player?
The Kenyan has fallen out of favour at current side Tottenham Hotspur with boss Mauricio Pochettino said to be keen to allow him to leave on loan during the English deadline day.
No English move went through for Wanyama on Thursday. However, the Scottish transfer window remains open until the start of September. So what are the chances of Celtic making a move for the 28-year-old?
What is the likelihood of Wanyama returning to Celtic?
There are a couple of obvious stumbling blocks in any loan move for Wanyama. First of all, the big midfielder will be on healthy wages in London so it would all depend on what percentage the Hoops would be prepared to pay.
Say Wanyama was on a rough estimate of £60,000 per week. Celtic could probably run to half of that cost after lowering their wage bill this summer, but would that be enough for Spurs?
Another obvious question is whether Wanyama would want a return to Scotland – even on a temporary basis. The Kenyan may feel he’s gone and served his time in Scottish football and a move to one of the bigger leagues may be more appealing.
Celtic could certainly do with a Wanyama type player. The thought of him patrolling the midfield with the more nimble Callum McGregor next to him is an enticing prospect. Scott Brown would undoubtedly see less game time if Wanyama was around but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing at his age.
Celtic would almost certainly have to have Champions League football to offer for Wanyama to consider a move. If we make it past Cluj and Slavia Prague and he’s still on the loan market then you may hear more about this one. His relationship with Lennon would surely also help in any move.
It’s a long shot. But so was Robbie Keane in 2010.
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