Celtic’s proposed move for Jocelin Ta Bi was left hanging in the balance for almost a week.
Ta Bi himself had discussed Celtic, describing the move as a ‘dream come true’ as he looked poised to be Martin O’Neill’s first January signing.
But late in the weekend, it was revealed that Ta Bi’s move had been scuppered by medical issues, with Celtic still considering going through with the move in the summer.
But it looks like this will not be the case. Despite the Ivorian winger reportedly requiring surgery, he is now closing in on a move to the Premier League.
And reports in France are now suggesting that there is more to this story than we have been told.
Sunderland pounce on Jocelin Ta Bi’s Celtic collapse
Premier League interest was first reported on Monday, and a report from footmercato has now confirmed that the club involved is Sunderland.
Heavily bankrolled by French investors, the Black Cats have taken the English top-flight by surprise since their promotion from the Championship.
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Some incredible details of the saga have been included in Sebastian Denis’ report.
Denis outlines how a €3 million move had been agreed between Celtic and Maccabi Netanya, with the club’s medical staff travelling to Israel.
However, the move ‘unexpectedly fell through’ in the final hours after a ‘breakdown in negotiations’, allowing Sunderland to move in.
The Wearside club have now seized the opportunity, despite reports in Scotland mentioning that the player required surgery on a knee injury.
Whatever the medical issue was, it clearly isn’t enough to discourage a Premier League club from engineering the move.
Let’s all hope that this doesn’t end up being ‘one that got away’, like we’ve seen before… if it is, this saga hasn’t reflected well on Celtic.
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What Jocelin Ta Bi said about his Celtic move
Speaking about his proposed Celtic move, Ta Bi seemed genuinely ecstatic, saying: “Playing for a club like Celtic is a dream come true for me.
“But without the support and love I received in Israel, I would not have reached these levels. The decision to come here and the trust I received from the club and my friends led me to progress.
“I will not forget the period I have had on loan at Hapoel Petah Tikva and the love and warmth that surrounded me.
“I am going to fulfil a big dream, at a famous club and in one of the best stadiums in the world.”
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