MICHEL-ANGE BALIKWISHA took an emotional final bow in front of the Royal Antwerp fans at the weekend before heading to Celtic to seal his £4.5million transfer.
The 24-year-old right-footed left winger has been on Brendan Rodgers’ radar for over a year, as CQN reported yesterday.
Initially, injuries to the former Belgian youth international stalled the move, but at last he has got the green light, the fee has been agreed and Balikwisha will be a Hoops player before the end of the week.
He was left out of his club’s 2-1 win over KV Mechelen on Saturday and boss Stef Wils was still playing his cards close to his chest when he admitted: “Discussions are ongoing at a club and personal level.”
CELTIC HERE I COME…Michel-Ange Balikwisha says farewell to the Royal Antwerp fans.
Only an unforeseen obstacle can prevent the shift and the flanker took the opportunity to say goodbye to his old supporters as he waved to the crowd and signed autographs at full-time.
The fans’ favourite signed for the club four years ago and scored 29 goals in 144 games.
The pursuit of Balikwisha went into overdrive at the tail-end of last week with the champions also firming up interest in Go Ahead Eagles midfielder Jakob Breum and Feyenoord forward Calvin Stengs, according to a report in the Scottish Sun.
Celtic are in Kazakhstan as they prepare for tomorrow night’s vitally important second leg of the Champions League play-off against Kairat Almaty after last week’s disappointing scoreless stalemate at Parkhead.
The focus will switch to the first Glasgow derby of the season at Ibrox on Sunday when Rodgers’ men have the opportunity of opening up a nine-point gap as they chase a fifth successive title.
