2 months ago
Celtic are in advanced talks to send winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha to Belgian Pro League club K.A.A. Gent on loan, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph. The structure of the deal includes an option for Gent to sign him permanently for around £3.5 million. Balikwisha, 25, has received permission from Celtic to fly to Belgium and complete a medical.
The DR Congo international was brought in from Royal Antwerp for £5.5 million, but the Scottish champions have now deemed him surplus to requirements. His representatives had been searching for a suitable destination for several weeks.
Balikwisha's time at Celtic has been nothing short of a disaster. The Congolese winger arrived from Antwerp last summer with genuine expectations, only to post 0 goals and 0 ****** ists across 14 appearances throughout the 2025/26 season. He hasn't touched the pitch once in the current 2026/27 campaign.
Those numbers tell a brutal story. In the Scottish Premiership, he failed to register a single shot on target, his dribble success rate sat at a miserable 44%, and he contributed just 2 key passes all season. A ghost, in every statistical sense.
The tactical direction under the Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has moved firmly against wide players who lack structural discipline. Balikwisha's profile, an individualistic, flair-driven attacker, simply didn't fit the system's demand for pressing intensity and defensive positional awareness.
#scottish #ange
The DR Congo international was brought in from Royal Antwerp for £5.5 million, but the Scottish champions have now deemed him surplus to requirements. His representatives had been searching for a suitable destination for several weeks.
Balikwisha's time at Celtic has been nothing short of a disaster. The Congolese winger arrived from Antwerp last summer with genuine expectations, only to post 0 goals and 0 ****** ists across 14 appearances throughout the 2025/26 season. He hasn't touched the pitch once in the current 2026/27 campaign.
Those numbers tell a brutal story. In the Scottish Premiership, he failed to register a single shot on target, his dribble success rate sat at a miserable 44%, and he contributed just 2 key passes all season. A ghost, in every statistical sense.
The tactical direction under the Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has moved firmly against wide players who lack structural discipline. Balikwisha's profile, an individualistic, flair-driven attacker, simply didn't fit the system's demand for pressing intensity and defensive positional awareness.
#scottish #ange
2 months ago
The Belgian forward arrived from Royal Antwerp for £4.5million last summer after being pursued by Celtic for more than a year, but has managed just 398 minutes of football despite being fit throughout the campaign.
Signed during Brendan Rodgers' final transfer window, Balikwisha struggled for opportunities under the former Hoops boss and Wilfried Nancy before again finding himself on the fringes under Martin O'Neill.
After some involvement during pre-season, the 24-year-old appears to have slipped back down the pecking order and interest is now emerging from across Europe.
According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the race for Balikwisha remains "wide open", with Bundesliga side SV Elversberg, Italian outfit Monza and Swiss giants Basel among the clubs interested.
The report describes Balikwisha as "a casualty of Martin O'Neill's tactical approach", although his lack of football predates O'Neill's return.
#balikwisha #martin #Football #celtic
Signed during Brendan Rodgers' final transfer window, Balikwisha struggled for opportunities under the former Hoops boss and Wilfried Nancy before again finding himself on the fringes under Martin O'Neill.
After some involvement during pre-season, the 24-year-old appears to have slipped back down the pecking order and interest is now emerging from across Europe.
According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the race for Balikwisha remains "wide open", with Bundesliga side SV Elversberg, Italian outfit Monza and Swiss giants Basel among the clubs interested.
The report describes Balikwisha as "a casualty of Martin O'Neill's tactical approach", although his lack of football predates O'Neill's return.
#balikwisha #martin #Football #celtic
