Celtic could shrewdly replace Boyata with Mangala

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Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata could leave the club this summer.

The Belgian is out of contract at the end 2018/19 and as things currently stand, it doesn’t look as though he’ll be singing an extension at Parkhead. The player’s agent told Het Laatste Nieuws last month that the two parties were ‘not even talking’ about a new deal.

It will be a big blow for the club if he does depart for nothing, especially when they might have cashed in in January.

Boyata being lost for nothing would sting, but Celtic can ease that potential blow by bringing another player from Manchester City Eliaquim Mangala who, tantalisingly, is set to become a free agent.

A move that makes sense

The fact that Mangala is out of contract this summer has to appeal to Brendan Rodgers.

He may have largely disappointed for the Citizens and Everton during his loan spell last season, but he did prove in the odd game that he can be decent.

City paid £31.8 million for his services back in 2014, which was later reported to have spiralled to £42 million (Football Leaks via talkSPORT).

Clearly there is a player in there but perhaps he just wasn’t cut out for the Premier League, just as Boyata wasn’t.

If Celtic were to give him a chance then he could flourish in the Scottish Premiership, again just as Boyata has done.

Mangala is vastly experienced and has been learning alongside some top quality players at the Etihad Stadium – surely Celtic should at least consider the physical Frenchman, who clearly needs a change of environment.