DEDRYCK Boyata has welcomed the prospect of Celtic signing his countryman Charly Musonda – and revealed the attacking midfielder is an “unbelievable” talent who is regarded as the future of Belgian football in his homeland.
Brendan Rodgers is hoping to add Musonda, a Chelsea player who spent last year on loan at Real Betis in Spain, to his Parkhead squad in the coming days.
It will take a transfer fee in the region of £5 million to land the gifted 20-year-old – but Rodgers has stated the Scottish champions are prepared to spend “big money” in order to secure the services of the quality No.10 he is looking for.
The Northern Irishman told last week how the Scottish champions, who have signed Jonny Hayes from Aberdeen and teenager Kundai Benyu from Ipswich during the close season, had been courting their target for the past six months.
Boyata confirmed that Musonda had travelled up to Glasgow to watch a Ladbrokes Premeirship game against St. Johnstone towards back in May.
“I have known Charly since he was 12,” said Boyata from Celtic’s pre-season training base outside Linz in Austria last night. “He is a very talented player.
“I have seen him play so many times and I can tell he is a very, very good player. I think he needs some time to play and show what he can do. But he is a player who can confirm all the hype around him.
“He is a very skilful player who can play as a winger or as a No.10. He is very talented around the ball, he has got very good touches. He is small, but quick for his size.
“I don’t want to make comparisons to someone else, but he is one who wants to show what he can do. I don’t want to compare, but I can guarantee he is a very good player. He is unbelievable.
“The last time I saw him play was on TV and he helped Betis to win the game. Today when they talk about the future of the national team his name is always there. The hype around him has been confirmed by the fact he is playing for Chelsea.”
Boyata added: “I saw him last season because he came to watch a game against St Johnstone at Celtic Park when we won 4-1.
“I saw him at the stadium because he came to watch the game and I saw him at the airport as well because we were on the same flight. I guess he came to watch a game I think, but I don’t know anything else. He seemed impressed with what he saw. He was very happy with the style and the way we played.”
Musonda attracted interest from Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United and Real Madrid when he was 15, but signed for Chelsea in 2013 along with his two older brothers Lamisha and Tika.
He hasn’t featured in the first team at Stamford Bridge but he performed well during a loan spell with La Liga club Betis last year, including in two games against Barcelona. He is believed to view joining Celtic as a shrewd career move.
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