Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe may be on his way to Celtic this summer, claim reports.
Having failed to make an impact at Dean Court, the former Liverpool starlet is closing in on a loan move to Scottish giants Celtic, who are desperate to complete this deal before the deadline day early next month.
Ibe joined Bournemouth in a then club-record deal of £14 million and the English club want around £20m to let him go this summer, as per Express.
Celtic are not prepared to meet his valuation, but are looking to tie him down to a loan for the current campaign. But can Bournemouth afford to let him go?
Jordon Ibe at Bournemouth
After making just 20 league starts in his four years at Liverpool, Ibe was regarded as a raw, explosive winger, who Eddie Howe had big plans for.
His pace and strength make Ibe a tough player to mark, but his decision making in the final third was an issue even when he was with Liverpool, and things did not change too much at Dean Court.
The 23-year old has been at Bournemouth for three years now, making 76 league appearances, but he is yet to cement a place in the first team, having registered just three goals and seven assists in those games.
Both David Brooks and Ryan Fraser were preferred on the wings, giving Ibe just nine league starts last season, where he managed just a goal and an assist.
So it was not a surprise that the Cherries decided to bring in Harry Wilson on loan from Liverpool, and Arnaut Danjuma, a Dutch winger, who cost them a hefty fee.
This pushes Ibe further down the pecking order and it is no surprise that he is yet to make an appearance for the club this season.
Can Bournemouth afford to lose him?
At just 23, Ibe can still work on his weaknesses and turn out to be a superstar in the future.
He does have the technique and understanding of the game that allows him to create chances regularly, but his decision making needs to improve quickly and pushing him out of the spotlight in the English top-flight could certainly help.
But Howe is happy to let him leave for around £20 million, which shows that he does not have too much trust in the youngster’s abilities, something that has already been established after Bournemouth signed two wingers in the summer transfer market.
Bournemouth have enough wingers, and will only have Ibe playing if the squad is injury-plagued. So a move to Celtic would give the winger more playing time.
So irrespective of Howe’s plans for Ibe, letting him join Celtic on loan could be a profitable move for all involved.
