Celtic missing out on targets in the transfer window is a tale as old as time.
In the end, it led to Brendan Rodgers’ sudden departure. His Honda Civic comments weren’t for everyone, but most would agree that his unhappiness at the window was justified.
Dermot Desmond attacked Rodgers in an astonishing statement that didn’t end up even being the most inflammatory statement released by a Desmond this year.
Part of the reason for the extraordinary scenes at Celtic’s AGM last week was fans’ unhappiness at a failure to strengthen the squad in multiple areas in this summer’s window.
But this wasn’t the Hoops support’s first rodeo. Some may remember a winger targeted by Rodgers last summer, whose value has since skyrocketed.
Ex-Celtic target Bazoumana Toure linked with big-money Premier League move
There is a funny domino effect of transfers here.
Last year, Celtic targeted Bazoumana Toure of Hammarby. The left-footed winger stayed put until the end of the Swedish season though, instead moving to Hoffenheim in February.
READ MORE: Celtic ‘considered’ release clause of other candidate before approaching Wilfried Nancy
The Swedish side replaced him with Sebastian Tounekti, who would spend just six months at the club before moving to Celtic himself.
After an unremarkable first six months in the Bundesliga however, Toure has made a strong start to his second season, with the club sitting in seventh place.
He has also made his debut for the Ivorian national team, at the age of just 19. This has caught the attention of Premier League clubs, according to Sky in Germany.
The report prices him at 35 million euros – quite the increase on the £9 million that Hoffenheim paid for his services in February.
With Hoffenheim reluctant to sell mid-season, Toure could need to wait until the end of the season to get his move.
But as we know, when the Premier League comes calling nowadays, players tend to go. And a winger who was in the Hoops’ reach a year ago is now firmly out of it.
Where are Celtic’s summer transfer targets now?
Kasper Dolberg has only just scored his first goal for struggling Ajax, after being publicly pursued by the Hoops in the summer.
Fellow Danish target Jakob Breum made his return from injury at the weekend, after the Celts were unable to prise him away from Go Ahead Eagles.
Serbian defender Veljko Milosavljevic was also of interest – he eventually moved to Bournemouth, where he has started three times in the Premier League.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Datro Fofana and Manuel Benson were all publicly linked on Deadline Day.
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