Celtic are interested in signing Rennes striker M'Baye Niang, Footmercato reports.
What's the latest transfer news on M'Baye Niang?
The report discloses that the Hoops are one of a number of clubs who have inquired about purchasing the 26-year-old. Nottingham Forest, Anderlecht and a number of Turkish teams are also keen on buying the forward.
The report further reveals that Rennes manager Bruno Genesio has placed the Senegal international on the transfer list.
What is Niang's pedigree?
Niang is a player with a good pedigree. He has played in the English, Italian and French top flights. His best performances have come at Rennes, where he has scored 30 goals in 92 games.
He didn't fare as well at Milan, where he scored 12 goals in 76 appearances. Niang didn't exactly uproot trees at Watford either, where he scored two goals in 16 games in a loan spell during the second-half of season 16/17.
How did Niang perform last season?
Niang spent the first-half of season 20/21 in and out of the Rennes side, making nine appearances in total and scoring one goal.
He then joined Saudi side Al-Ahli Jeddah on loan, and didn't manage to find the back of the net in five games. In total, the 6 ft 2 striker scored one goal in 17 games for both teams.
Would Niang be a good signing for Celtic?
Niang's record last season suggests he would not be a good signing for Celtic. Scoring one goal in a whole season is not a good enough return for a striker.
The player must have something about him though, when you consider that he has featured for teams in three of Europe's most prominent leagues, and numerous clubs are interested in signing him.
Niang is rated as being worth £4.05m by Transfermarkt, and that would be quite a lot of money for Celtic to spend on a striker who hasn't scored that many goals recently.
Perhaps a loan deal would be a better idea. Niang is under contract with Rennes until 2023, so the potential is there to agree a year-long loan with an option to buy next summer, when the forward's contract will reach its final twelve months.
Similarly, if Celtic sign two or three strikers after Odsonne Edouard likely departs - Brighton are reportedly set to make a £20m bid following the Champions League qualifier with Midtjylland - and Niang is one of them, that could also prove beneficial provided the other acquisitions are of similar or superior standard.