A familiar name has resurfaced on Celtic’s transfer radar, although one Chelsea forward has already turned down a move to the Scottish Premiership this season.
David Datro Fofana is currently on his fourth loan away from Chelsea, spending the campaign in Turkey with Fatih Karagümrük. Celtic remain in the market for attacking reinforcements after failing to properly replace Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah, while injuries to Kelechi Iheanacho and Callum Osmand have left Johnny Kenny and Shin Yamada as the main senior striking options.
Fofana has been mentioned as a possible solution, but a deal failed to materialise earlier in the season. On deadline day, Celtic explored a loan move for the striker, only for Fofana to reject the opportunity as he attempted to secure a switch to Charlton Athletic in the Championship. That move also broke down late on, which ultimately saw him head to Turkey instead.
Why Fofana turned down Celtic
At the time, the Evening Standard reported that Fofana’s proposed move to Charlton collapsed at the final hurdle, leaving him in limbo alongside other Chelsea players deemed surplus to requirements. His representatives worked to find an exit before the deadline, with interest coming from Preston North End before Celtic entered talks.
Celtic had additional time to complete a deal due to the later Scottish deadline, but Fofana opted against their loan offer in favour of pursuing the Charlton move. That plan fell apart when the Championship club failed to submit the necessary paperwork in time.
The situation drew a strong reaction from former Celtic striker Chris Sutton. Speaking on BBC 5 Live, he said: “Charlton instead of Celtic? Really? It’s been months of problems with recruitment at Celtic. Kyogo was never replaced, Nicolas Kuhn was never replaced, and it’s clear Brendan Rodgers isn’t happy. When Callum McGregor says they need players in, that should be taken seriously.”
Latest update on Celtic interest
Sky Sports have since reported that Celtic remain among several clubs monitoring Fofana’s situation. Derby County are also said to be interested, with the possibility of a loan move until the end of the season, while Celtic are understood to be exploring a permanent transfer.
The 23-year-old is currently on loan with Fatih Karagümrük, and Chelsea would welcome a permanent move or a domestic loan as it would free up an international loan slot. Celtic’s interest is not new, having already tried to sign Fofana in September, only for him to prioritise the ill-fated Charlton switch.