Celtic target Fares Ghedjemis looks increasingly likely to leave Frosinone this summer.
The left-footed right-winger, who recently made his debut for Algeria, is locked in a race for promotion with his club.
After their interest was widely reported, Celtic were reportedly rejected by Ghedjemis in January after agreeing a deal worth around £6 million.
He reportedly made this decision to aid Frosinone’s push for Serie A football, but he looks likely to be a top-flight player regardless next season.
Is Fares Ghedjemis worth the £6.5m Celtic appear willing to pay?
Venezia interested in Celtic target Fares Ghedjemis
According to La Nuova Venezia via Pianeta Serie B, Venezia are willing to designate some of their €15 million budget to Ghedjemis in the summer.
Frosinone are understandably reluctant to sell, though their hand could be forced if they fail to secure promotion.
READ MORE: Bundesliga clubs circle for Celtic’s Maik Nawrocki after impressive loan form
Venezia join Como and Atalanta in the queue for Ghedjemis, who has 12 goals already in the Italian second tier this season.
A right-winger was a main priority for Martin O’Neill in the mid-season window, and Ghedhjemis was among those linked along with Nacho Laquintana, Damir Redzic and Jocelin Ta Bi.
In true Celtic fashion, we were made to wait until the very end of the window, when Joel Mvuka’s name finally emerged.
Mvuka was thrown straight into the starting XI for his Celtic debut against Dundee, but was hooked at half-time after a disappointing showing.
O’Neill ruthlessly then left him out of the matchday squad for the team’s next four games before reintroducing him for Celtic’s Scottish Cup win at Ibrox, when Neil Lennon voiced serious concerns over the 23-year-old’s cameo.
Perhaps the most damning thing to say about the move is that the best part of it may well be his failed medical, which forced Celtic to renegotiate what was initially a permanent deal worth £3 million.
Speaking after Celtic’s 2-1 defeat to Hibs, O’Neill explained his omission of Mvuka from matchday squads, saying: “I think it’s just getting used to the environment.
“These lads have played decent grades of football before. But it’s the intensity here at this minute, and some players, like James Forrest, have been used to that sort of intensity. So we’ll see.”
You have been given £10m to sign one player for Celtic in the summer transfer window…
Which player are you spending that money on?
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, and nor has Junior Adamu, who has been unable to kick on from a goal on his debut.
Julian Araujo has been the window’s biggest success, but we now know that his involvement in the season is over. Benjamin Arthur has made more of an impact than expected.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored in Celtic’s win over St Mirren last weekend, rewarding O’Neill for trusting him to start.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
