CELTIC have been told they will have to up the ante in their pursuit of striker Aaron Boupendza.
The Gabon international frontman is the latest name to be linked with the Hoops as part of the summer rebuild at the Parkhead club.
Boupendza is in the last year of his contract with Turkish side Hatayspor and manager Omer Erdogan is bracing himself for bids for the 24-year-old versatile forward who can also play on both wings and who scored 22 goals in 36 appearances last season.
The attacker joined the Turks in August last year after leaving Bordeaux as a free agent.
His performances in the last campaign saw his value soar to £7.5million and Erdogan is hoping to cash in rather than see the club’s hottest property walk away for nothing in a year’s time.
He told local media Sporx: “Aaron Boupendza has been on the transfer agenda for months. There are clubs interested both domestically and abroad. European clubs work very professionally. I don’t want to give a name, but the coaches of some clubs called me and got information about Boupendza.
“Our president has already made a statement. An offer that will please us, if it comes, we will then sell Boupendza. If no good offer comes, we will continue.”
Ange Postecoglou has already spent £4.5million on Japanese international marksman Kyogo Furuhashi who is still in quarantine before he will be allowed to be paraded at Parkhead.
It looks increasingly as though Odsonne Edouard will move before the August 31 transfer deadline and Brighton are lining up a £20million offer this week once the £50million deal for their England international centre-back Ben White to Arsenal is sealed.
The Frenchman could make his final appearance for the Hoops in the Champions League qualifier against FC Midtjylland in Denmark tomorrow night. The tie is finely balanced at 1-1.
