Sassuolo have now joined the party with Bologna over talks with Hellas Verona for Celtic target Kieron Bowie…
The Hoops were said to still retain and interest in the former Hibernian striker, despite only moving to Italy in January this year, with Martin O’Neill thought to be a big fan of the nunber nine.
Celtic were heavily linked with a move for the £10 million-rated attacker at that time, when the price was thought to be around the £5 million mark for David Gray’s prized asset. No move materialised for Bowie to the Bhoys and he subsequently left Easter Road in a mammoth deal with Serie A Hellas Verona in the winter window.
The ex-Raith Rovers man enjoyed a great spell in Italian football with Verona, but couldn’t prevent them from heading straight down to Serie B this May, with relegation dogging Bowie’s initial gambit in Italy. It was rumoured earlier this month that due to this occurring, interest in Bowie would be rife again this summer, as teams responded to Hellas’ unfortunate situation.
The striker himself may harbour ambitions to play higher than Serie B and might even jump at the chance to move quickly, if the right offer arrives for his services this close season. With Italian clubs seeing what the Scottish star is capable of up close and personal, it may be sooner, rather than later that Kieran is on the move once again.
Well, according to Scott Burns at the Daily Record, Sassuolo are latest club to join talks for Bowie, after Bologna instigated the intial contact with fellow Italians Hellas Verona.
The journalist claims that both clubs want to keep the 23-year-old in Serie A, but that there is also interest from the Bundesliga at this point. However, Burns also states that no moves have been made from Celtic Park as of yet for the £10 million rated forward.
Should Bowie move again straight away in this window, Hibernian will be due a nice slice of the transfer fee.
The Easter Road club inserted a shrewd sell-on clause into the deal that took Bowie from Edinburgh to Italy and could be due a big windfall, depending on the exact percentage that they included in the initial deal with Hellas Verona.
Paul Gillespie
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2 Comments
I can totally understand that a potential 10M fee for Bowie is regarded as way too much?
Personally believe that as a club, we have to consider those inflated prices for Scottish players, especially where we currently stand within our homegrown quota requirements within a 25man European squad imo?
With both Calmac and forrest not getting any younger, and ourselves struggling to produce players for a European campaign, it will continue to leave ourselves potentially short on squad numbers for a European campaign imo?
So paying over inflated prices for Scottish players, might be the only solution available for ourselves, with a failing development programme in operation for ourselves, within Scottish football?
A 25man European squad would usually consist of 2 players for each position, within the set up of our team?
The extra 3 positions are generally getting filled by the extra keeper, defender and midfielder?
So Doohan as 3rd choice keeper, and potentially McCowan as the midfielder?
So Bowie would make sense for this season ahead, especially with Forrest not expected to get to much playing time in a European campaign next season, where he can still contribute moreso within the SPFL imo?
Potentially a couple of others might be in contention as midfield options, to fill our homegrown quota?
But with our own youngsters as B listed players, other Scottish options would leave question marks as to whether they are ready for taking up a position, especially if MoN is considering a 3CB defensive set up for next season?
Couldn’t even totally rule out McCowan as a potential backup for Tierney either, even if Saracchi would be a much preferable option imo?
Even if wing backs are to be considered as part of a midfield 4?
Regardless of what MoN has got in mind, believe Bowie actually fits the profile of striker that MoN will be looking for imo?
As he’s already battle hardened to the physical element of the SPFL, can totally understand the potential interest, especially if MoN is looking for 3 strikers within his 25man European squad?
Duran could be considered as a potential Maeda replacement, something balikwisha hasn’t been able to provide yet, so a lack of flexibility within our attacking set up for a European campaign imo?
Don’t believe that the potential fee involved for Bowie, should be used as a factor we find ourselves in, regarding our homegrown quota requirements?
Especially when the money for the fee is readily available within our club?
The quality factor for the money paid for players is something more so, to go over the board about?
Personally don’t believe MoN is to spoilt for choice, regarding the situation that we face within the homegrown quota requirements in trying to form a 25man European squad imo?
I like Bowie. He has a bit of gallus swagger about him, has some experience of Serie A, and for a 6 foot 3 striker with good feet and link play, he seems like a Martin O’neill centre forward.
I’d take him even at a few £m more than what we could have got him for last year.
(Applause for the Board yet again ….)