Swansea boss asked Scott Brown and other former Celtic players about Ntcham

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Swansea boss Russell Martin says he asked Scott Brown and other Celtic figures past and present about Olivier Ntcham.

Ntcham joined the Swans on a three-year deal last week. Having garnered plenty of attention initially at Celtic, a loan move to Marseille saw his stock tumble.

A player who could be considered a bit of a risk, Martin was keen to consult those who’d worked with Ntcham. Clearly, it worked, with the Swans boss hoping the Frenchman will be fit for the weekend.

Swansea currently sit 19th in the EFL Championship, with 3 defeats in 5 games [BBC].

Martin said of his Ntcham pursuit [SCFC]:

“I spoke to a few players at Celtic about that; about him and his approach to training, and they spoke so highly of him.

“I spoke to Scott Brown about him. I spoke to him and a couple of other guys who aren’t at Celtic anymore. A couple members of staff, too, who I’ve worked with in the Scotland set-up that work for Celtic.

“They all spoke really highly of Olivier. He’s played at a club with a huge expectancy to win every single week, he’s played in the Champions League.”

“We have to be a little bit patient, but he’s in good shape and he’s a brilliant player, and I expect him to be ready to be in a position to start against Hull.”

Scott Brown still helping his former Bhoys teammates as Ntcham moves to Swansea

It’d be interesting to know what Scott Brown and the current Celtic staff members said about Olivier Ntcham.

He has to be more than decent in training, having played for taskmasters like Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon. Also, he had to have impressed not just the managers, but coaches and his fellow players.

It’s been said before, but the drop-off in Ntcham’s performances really was dramatic. When he was on form, he was an irresistible force, moving the ball elegantly, excellent in possession and capable of scoring key goals.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t always the case. But it’d be sad and inaccurate to write off Ntcham as any kind of flop at Celtic. A winner of three trebles at the club, he gave fans some fantastic moments in massive games.

With Swansea looking to repair their own reputation after some modest years in the Championship, it could be a perfect fit.

Read more: Reported Celtic target won’t be renewing his contract