Etienne Youte transfer fee plunges as Celtic face £6m 'hurry' with 'best defender' exit escalating centre back search
Le Havre president Jean-Michel Roussier admits their asking price for centre-back Etienne Youte could drop amid reported interest from Celtic.
Reports in France suggest that the Scottish Premiership champions have joined Anderlecht and Besiktas in the race to land the 23-year-old.
Youte only has a year remaining on his currently contract and the Ligue 1 outfit would reportedly accept a €5million (£4.3million) fee this summer.
But Roussier admits that the cash-strapped club could be forced into a bargain sale of the centre-back this summer.
Speaking to Paris Normadie, the club supremo was asked about the risk of allowing player's deals to run out.
He said: "We're used to it. We have to sell a lower cost, with free agents something we cannot risk. We are a company that is losing money."
Red Star Belgrade defender Veljko Milosavljevic is also said to be on the agenda amid claims that the club are ready to drop their asking price.
It was claimed earlier this summer that Celtic representatives "offered" £5.1million for the 17-year-old, which was rejected.
However, a £6million offer would reportedly tempt the Serbian side to cash-in on the rising star.
Max Sport report that Everton have made contact and are now stepping up their interest - which could leave Celtic in a "hurry" to get the deal over the line and see off the Premier League side in a bidding war.
Maik Nawrocki is among the fringe men that have been allowed to leave the club this summer - but Frank McAvennie reckons the club have made a mistake in allowing the Polish star join Hannover 96.
But speaking on his 'Let Me Be Frank' podcast, McAvennie said: 'There are a couple of players who went out.
'I feel sorry for Nawrocki. He has gone out, and I thought, 'that boy was decent.' I really did. I thought he was a good player.
'I hope we don't rue that. He never let the team down. He came in, five or six games, and he was outstanding. He was the best defender we had.'
You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season.
We're also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool transfer news: Spending hits £250m as seventh signing flies in for medical
Liverpool have agreed a deal worth £79million to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt - and their flurry of signings might not stop there either this summer Liverpool have found the centre-forward they have craved as they continue their extremely busy summer window. The Reds have already closed deals for Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Armin Pesci and Freddie Woodman for an outlay of around £180million, while Giorgi Mamardashvili also arrived this summer, having been signed last year but loaned out to Valencia. That spending figure will soon eclipse £250m following the news that a deal had been agreed to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt. Ekitike had been a target for Newcastle, but Frankfurt rejected a £70m bid from the Magpies and Liverpool swooped to shake hands for £69m initially with a further £10m in add-ons. It has been a hugely productive window for Arne Slot, who could still be waving goodbye to the likes of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Ibrahima Konate and Harvey Elliott in the coming weeks. Here is the latest transfer news involving the club. Ekitike medical Ekitike is set to sign a six-year contract with Liverpool once his switch from Frankfurt is completed. The Frenchman made it clear he was open to joining the Premier League champions as soon as their interest emerged and the deal has been wrapped up swiftly. He is flying into Merseyside on Tuesday to undergo a medical, where he will be greeted by the club's medical staff and sporting director Richard Hughes. The club's training ground will be a bit of a ghost ship, given Slot and his squad have jetted off to Asia on their pre-season tour. Ekitike will fly out to join his new team-mates once the formalities are completed. Liverpool did enquire about the possibility of signing Newcastle's Alexander Isak before going for Ekitike, but moved fast once they had the lay of the land. Nunez situation Nunez scored a hat-trick in a pre-season friendly against Stoke over the weekend, when he played as a centre-forward. His form in pre-season has been intriguing, given he is on the transfer list and seeking an exit after struggling for regular game time last season. Napoli showed an interest in the Uruguay international but the move never materialised. And with Ekitike arriving to become the first-choice centre-forward, Nunez knows he will likely play second fiddle again if he stays put. Liverpool have until September 1 to try and shift the former Benfica man, while doubts remain over the future of Diaz. Bayern Munich have seen a £58m bid rejected by Liverpool, but could return to test their resolve. Wirtz argument Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund have found themselves in an argument about Wirtz, who joined Liverpool for £116.5m recently. Dortmund chief Hans-Joachim Watzke has said the situation was a "real shame" because it made the Bundesliga a weaker division. But Leverkusen's Fernando Carro is bemused by the criticism. "Honestly, yes. I have a different opinion than Hans-Joachim Watzke,' Sarro said, speaking to Welt am Sonntag. "I don't understand how he, as the boss of Borussia Dortmund, could have been happy if Wirtz had gone to Munich. "That would have made Bayern even stronger. I want an exciting Bundesliga. I'm happy when more clubs – besides us – make life difficult for Bayern, because I believe that benefits the Bundesliga." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson snubs TWO transfers to boost Man Utd hopes of shock deal
Nicolas Jackson is considering his options after Chelsea signed two centre-forwards this summer and he has already rejected two moves amid interest from Manchester United Nicolas Jackson has reportedly rejected offers from Italy because he wants to stay in the Premier League, potentially putting Manchester United in the picture. Jackson's future at Chelsea has been thrown into doubt after the Blues splashed out a combined £85million to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton and Liam Delap from Ipswich. The two new strikers both made an impression during Chelsea's triumphant Club World Cup campaign and Jackson is now considering his options. It is understood that Jackson's representatives have already met with United chiefs to gauge the interest in a potential transfer this summer. United are in the market for a centre-forward, with Ruben Amorim unconvinced by Rasmus Hojlund. The Danish striker managed just 10 goals in 52 games across all competitions last season, with just four of those coming in the Premier League. He has been linked with a move back to Serie A, where he previously played for Atalanta, throwing up the possibility of a replacement. United have signed Matheus Cunha, in a £62.5m move from Wolves, and Bryan Mbeumo, in a £71m deal from Brentford, but still need a central striker. They have opened a dialogue with Jackson's agent, Ali Barat, and Chelsea would be open to selling for the right price. The Sun reports that Jackson has vetoed the idea of joining Napoli or AC Milan in the summer transfer window. The Senegal international has no desire to leave the Premier League for Serie A, but there is another potential issue with a move to United. While willing to sell in theory, Chelsea reportedly value Jackson at around £80m - a price United would struggle to stomach. Although they are close to agreeing exits for Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, the club still have Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia in their so-called 'bomb squad'. United won't play in any European competitions in the upcoming season, which is a serious blow to their finances, and Jackson may simply be out of their price range. Jackson joined Chelsea for £32m from Villarreal in 2023 and is under contract until June 2033. He has contributed 30 goals and 12 assists in 81 matches for the club, but has fallen down the pecking order under Enzo Maresca. The Chelsea manager has grown frustrated with his ill discipline, having seen him sent off twice in his last five matches. Jackson was left on the substitutes' bench for Chelsea's 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final and knows he is far from a guaranteed starter now.
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Tuesday's briefing: Carter unstoppable as Lionesses target a place in final
England coach Sarina Wiegman is expecting to be able to pick from a full-strength squad, with Leah Williamson shrugging off an injury she sustained in the quarter-final penalty shoot-out defeat of Sweden. Manchester United and Liverpool have been splashing the cash ahead of the new Premier League season, while Rangers are also looking to make a statement in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League. England at full strength for Italy showdown Sarina Wiegman has suggested captain Leah Williamson will be fit for England's Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy and said Jess Carter is 'ready to perform' after the defender revealed she had been the target of racist abuse. There were concerns about centre-back Williamson's fitness after she rolled her ankle in extra time of Thursday's dramatic last-eight shoot-out victory over Sweden, but the Arsenal defender – alongside every other member of the squad – trained with the team on Monday morning. Carter, in a statement shared to her accounts on several platforms on Sunday, said she would be 'taking a step back' from social media, while Football Association CEO Mark Bullingham confirmed his organisation has involved UK police. Asked if she expected to have a full complement available for the semi in Geneva, England boss Wiegman said: 'That's what it looks like, yeah.' Meanwhile FIFA chief Gianni Infantino says he is 'deeply saddened' by racist abuse directed at Carter and promised FIFA will share data with the relevant authorities to identify the culprits. FIFA president Infantino wrote on Instagram: 'I am deeply saddened to see the online abuse directed at England's Jess Carter during the ongoing Women's EURO tournament. There is no place for racism in football or in society.' Mbeumo finally completes United move Manchester United have completed the long-awaited signing of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo for a fee rising to £71million. Nearly seven weeks after seeing their first offer rebuffed, the Red Devils finally have their man and the 25-year-old has signed a deal until 2030 with the option of a further year. Mbeumo leaves Brentford for an initial £65m fee that PA understands could rise by a further £6m should certain add-on clauses related to team and player be achieved. 'As soon as I knew there was a chance to join Manchester United, I had to take the opportunity to sign for the club of my dreams; the team whose shirt I wore growing up,' the Cameroon international said. Ekitike heading to Liverpool Liverpool have struck a deal with Eintracht Frankfurt worth up to £79million for striker Hugo Ekitike, the PA news agency understands. The talented 23-year-old scored 22 goals in all competitions for the Bundesliga club after last summer making his loan move from Paris St Germain permanent. Newcastle and Manchester United have been among the interested parties but Premier League champions Liverpool look set to sign Ekitike. The PA news agency understands the Reds have agreed to pay a guaranteed £69m to sign the France Under-21 international, with a further £10m possible in add-ons. The player has been given permission to travel to Merseyside to complete the deal. Ekitike is set to arrive on Tuesday for his medical and to complete what is expected to be a deal until 2031. Martin believes Rangers are ready to shine Russell Martin believes Rangers will 'take some stopping' if they can harness an energy and connection between players, supporters and everyone else associated with the club. The Ibrox head coach is determined to ensure that process takes shape in his first match in charge against Panathinaikos on Tuesday. Rangers take on the Greek side in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round at Ibrox and Martin hopes fans can quickly see the dominant, intense, aggressive team that forms his vision for his reign. The former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton manager said: 'Every day I wake up and I'm honoured to be in this position. I feel extremely grateful for it. I'm excited by it and I will give it absolutely everything I've got. We all will.' What's on today The big night has finally arrived for England women who face Italy in the European Championship semi-final in Geneva. Rangers take on Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying while there is a full programme of Premier Sports Cup games, including Dundee's trip to non-league Bonnyrigg Rose.
