Celtic are in the market for a new striker this January transfer window.
He’s back on the Celtic transfer agenda - but one Chelsea player has already said no to a Premiership move this season.
David Datro Fofana is on his fourth loan spell away from Chelsea, this time in Turkey with Fatih Karagümrük. The Hoops are looking for striker reinforcements with Kyogo and Adam Idah still to be reliably replaced amid injury issues for Kelechi Iheanacho and Callum Osmand leaving Johnny Kenny and Shin Yamada as natural, senior striker options.
It’s been claimed that Fofana is an option they could consider but on deadline day, Celtic became an option for the striker. He snubbed them because he wanted to join Charlton Athletic in the English Championship but that deal also collapsed, paving his road to Turkey.
Read More
Why did David Datro Fofana reject Celtic?
The Standard wrote at the time: “David Datro Fofana’s proposed Deadline Day move to Charlton collapsed at the eleventh hour, as he was left stranded with Raheem Sterling and Alex Disasi in the Chelsea ‘bomb squad’. The Ivorian’s representatives worked hard on Monday to find a solution that would allow Fofana to leave Chelsea but ran out of time.
“Interest from Preston North End was followed by talks with Celtic, who had until 11pm to complete a deal because the Scottish window closed at that time, rather than the deadline of 7pm in England. But Fofana snubbed Celtic's loan offer and chose to pursue a move to Charlton, only for the newly-promoted Championship outfit to fail to complete the relevant paperwork on a deal sheet in time.”
It was something that left Celtic hero Chris Sutton angry. He said when asked for his reaction to the news while broadcasting at the time for 5Live: “God, what an idiot. Charlton? Instead of Celtic? Really?
Chris Sutton on David Datro Fofana
“It’s been a nightmare, however many months now, of recruitment at Celtic. Never replaced Kyogo, never replaced Nicolas Kuhn; Brendan Rodgers clearly isn’t happy. When Callum McGregor says they need bodies in the door – Callum is super intelligent, he’s articulate, he’s measured. When the captain says they need players in, out of the Champions League, there is a large element of the support that are getting restless.”
Sky Sports have provided the latest on Celtic’s pursuit of the Chelsea player. They state: “Celtic and Derby County are among a number of clubs across Europe who have expressed an interest in Chelsea striker David Datro Fofana. It’s understood Celtic are exploring a possible permanent move, while Derby are also open to a loan until the end of the season. Fofana, 23, is currently on loan at Turkish club Fatih Karagümrük.
“If he can secure a permanent transfer, or a domestic loan, it will free up an international loan space for Chelsea. Celtic tried to sign Fofana on Deadline Day in September last year, but he turned down the Scottish champions in favour of a loan to Charlton Athletic – only for that deal to collapse as the paperwork did not go through on time.”
Continue Reading