celtic If they want to sign Issa Doumbia from Venezia, they may need to move quickly, with Portuguese competition close behind.
calciomercato.it Doumbia is set to leave the Italian club this summer, the report says. At present, his future seems likely to be in Portugal only.
Portuguese efforts
They explain that after a remarkable season that saw him play a key role in Venezia's promotion from Serie B, several major European clubs are now eyeing the 23-year-old.
In particular, two of Portugal's top three clubs, Sporting Clube de Portugal and Benfica, want him. According to CM.it, Sporting has stepped up its efforts to secure a deal in recent days.
However, the deal is not yet complete, as Rui Costa and his colleagues at Benfica have also made 'important progress'. There is a real Lisbon derby going on for the midfielder's signature. New and important developments are expected at some points throughout this week.
This should probably be a warning sign for Celtic. The Scottish giants have been credited with interest over the months.
celtic need to move
Sport Witness also covered a report detailing how their interest is justified. Doumbia is undoubtedly a star on the rise and the growing interest in him is testament to that.
The fact that the Portuguese pair are both also Champions League clubs is further testament to this fact. Both are now pushing for a deal, also indicating they want to get in on it before competition gets too fierce.
Celtic may be busy focusing on their title challenge, which is certain to go all the way, but this may also be something they need to focus on. Failure to move quickly now could see them miss out on potential summer signings.
Sporting Clube de Portugal and Benfica are certainly working to make sure they win the race behind the scenes.
