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Celtic and Rangers open talks with Schalke winger Rabbi Matondo - report
Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers are set to go head to head in the transfer market as both clubs aim to convince Rabbi Matondo to Glasgow.
According to Wales Online, the two biggest clubs in Scottish football have almost simultaneously begun negotiations with his club FC Schalke 04 over a summer deal with the Bundesliga 2 champions willing to sell.
The 21-year-old spent the 2021-22 campaign on loan at Cercle Brugge in Belgium where he scored 10 goals in 27 Pro League games and those performances has seen Cercle’s city rivals Club Brugge also take an interest in the Welshman along with Anderlecht.
There is also Premier League interest in the Wales international with newly-promoted Fulham and Bournemouth keeping tabs on his situation but they are yet to make contact with the Gelsenkirchen-based club.
The Old Firm duo are also keen on signing Matondo’s 16-year-old brother Japhet from Cardiff City but the Bluebirds are keen to keep him in the capital with Leeds United also on standby.
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Judging by this report, it looks like a very simple decision of one or the other for Matondo and there are obvious plus sides to both clubs.
Celtic can offer Champions League football and the home of the current Scottish Premiership champions which Ange Postecoglu will be sure to mention should a war of words be the way forward.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst though can boast an incredible run to the final of the Europa League where they were only beaten on penalties as well as the Scottish Cup which they knocked Celtic out of on their way to the final.
Both managers will be quick to point out flaws in the other’s clubs with Rangers failing to maintain their Scottish crown while Celtic were unceremoniously knocked out of the Conference League by Bodo/Glimt of Norway.
There is no wrong answer for the Welshman though and whoever does manage to secure his services for the 2022-23 season and beyond will have a definite upper hand in the title race.
In other Celtic news, Liverpool have completed an agreement to poach one of Parkhead’s most promising young players after just two senior appearances.