Wigan striker could find lure of final European hurrah too hard to ignore
Published:Celtic manager Neil Lennon has made it no secret that he’s after a top striker in the January transfer window and acquiring the services of Wigan forward and former Parkhead star Marc-Antoine Fortuné could make perfect sense.
The Scottish giants have seen their attempts at capturing a new frontman thwarted thus far, with failed bids for an unnamed striker playing abroad and Wolves talisman Leigh Griffiths all they have to show for their efforts this month.
And should the Hoops continue to be frustrated then a late swoop for Fortuné may be a viable option for a side who are 4/5 to add the Scottish Cup to what seems likely to be a processional league triumph.
The powerful 32-year-old notched 12 goals in 45 games in his first spell with the Glasgow club, providing 11 assists in the process following a £3.8m move in 2009.
Given the French hitman’s age it’s unlikely that Celtic would have to part with anything close to that fee to recapture Fortuné, a targetman who could help fill the void left by Gary Hooper’s summer departure to Norwich.
Wigan boss Uwe Rosler has already been quick to mould his squad, letting both Grant Holt and Nouha Dicko leave the club, and Fortuné could follow if deemed surplus to requirements.
A return of just three goals in 28 appearances this term is a statistic that won’t have gone unnoticed by the German manager.
But a move north of the border to play Champions League football could be the ideal motivation for the former West Brom cult figure if he hopes to rekindle the kind of form that first alerted Celtic to his talents.
Speaking to the Daily Record following his team’s 1-0 defeat away at Ajax in November, Lennon said:
“I don’t know how much money we will have again in January but Peter Lawwell has given us assurances there will be cash to spend.”
The Celtic supremo could make a shrewd spending decision to tempt Fortuné back to the club should his other attempts at securing a goalscorer fall flat.
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