Celtic were right to reject summer advances for Olivier Ntcham

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Celtic have started the 2019/20 campaign in blistering fashion winning every game they have played on the domestic front.

The Hoops are in search of a quadruple treble and boss Neil Lennon clearly has the team heading in the right direction.

His team will certainly take some stopping this season and a 2-0 win over Rangers back in August showed their nearest rivals they are not in the mood to relinquish their stranglehold on Scottish football.

One player who has been a standout performer so far this season is midfield maestro Olivier Ntcham.

Lennon did well to keep hold of the Frenchman during the summer. Marseille and Porto were keen to sign the player but Celtic wouldn’t budge for less than £15 million (Daily Star).

The decision to stand firm on this particular transfer stance looks shrewd. Ntcham has looked top class so far this season and his valuation is rocketing with each eye-catching performance.

The 23-year-old arrived at Celtic Park from Manchester City for £4.5 million back in 2017 (BBC Sport). In 97 appearances he has scored 18 goals and registered 10 assists – although his game is about far more than goal contributions.

Stepping-up

Ntcham’s brace against Partick Thistle in the Scottish League Cup was the catalyst for Celtic to secure a 5-0 win and set up a semi-final with Hibernian.

Boss Lennon was mocked for some of his transfer activity in the summer but nobody is laughing at his decision not to cash in on Ntcham.

When clubs like Marseille and Porto come knocking, it’s abundantly clear a player has something special. Ntcham’s ability to break up play, pick out a pass and get Celtic moving in the right direction is a massive asset to Lennon’s team.

At 23-years-old Ntcham isn’t the finished article just yet but he is really starting to showcase tremendous talent this season.

Interested parties might regret not doing more to land Ntcham during the summer, with his valuation currently soaring with each passing performance.