Fabrizio Ferrari, the agent of Fares Ghedjemis, has confirmed why the player remained at Frosinone in January after an offer from Celtic.
The winger has just received his first call-up for the Algerian national team for their friendlies against Guatemala and Uruguay.
Celtic’s interest in Ghedjemis was widely reported in January, as Martin O’Neill desperately searched for reinforcements on the right wing.
In the end, no deal was reached and the player remained in Italy, with the Hoops going on to sign Joel Mvuka.
Is Fares Ghedjemis worth the £6.5m Celtic appear willing to pay?
Fares Ghedjemis ‘really wanted’ to stay at Frosinone amid Celtic interest, agent says
Ferrari told Tuttomercatoweb: “The renewal? It was an option already present in the contract signed with Frosinone that it was their right to exercise.
“The market rumours about him in January? He really wanted to finish the season with a promotion.
READ MORE: Jim Craig jokes ‘it’s up to the sculptor’ as Celtic great honoured with statue
“This was the boy’s intention, with Frosinone then potentially monetising the operation in the summer,” he added.
Should Celtic re-enter the market in the summer, they won’t be alone. Since the closure of the window, he has scored four goals.
Serie A sides are reportedly interested in Ghedjemis, and he could be playing in the league regardless if Frosinone’s promotion push ends successfully.
O’Neill said that reports linking the Hoops with the 23-year-old as well as Damir Redzic “weren’t a million miles away”.
The signing of Mvuka then appeared from nowhere, and the Norwegian has fallen desperately short of expectations so far.
Perhaps the best thing to say about the move is that the Hoops may have dodged a bullet after his medical forced the deal to be altered from a £3 million permanent move to a loan instead.
If not, who is?
Celtic’s January transfer window: a success or not?
Also added to aid the Hoops’ attack were a pair of strikers, the first of which was Tomas Cvancara on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Czech international hasn’t set the world alight in Glasgow, but he’s still made a better impression than Junior Adamu, who has been unable to kick on from a goal on his debut.
Julian Araujo has been the window’s biggest success, however, filling in commendably at right-back. Benjamin Arthur has made more of an impact than expected.
The jury is still out for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after seven appearances.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
