Wanyama Set To Join Southampton.

Scottish football’s record transfer is set to be completed on Wednesday with Victor Wanyama poised to finalise a stunning £12.5million move to Southampton.

The Kenya international midfielder was due to start the Parkhead club’s thumping 6-2 friendly defeat to German Second Division side Greuther Firth on Tuesday night but it is understood he remained behind at the club’s training base on the outskirts of Munich as talks with the Premier League side moved towards a conclusion.

The bumper fee offered by Saints had already been accepted by Celtic previously, before the deal broke down due to personal terms being rejected by Wanyama and his agents.


Heading south: Victor Wanyama is to complete his £12.5m deal to Southampton on Wednesday

But if the big money move goes through today, as expected, the Wanyama deal would break the previous record for a transfer by a Scottish club, the £9.5million paid by Spartak Moscow for Celtic and Ireland winger Aiden McGeady in 2010.

And to get that kind of fee for a player they landed from Belgian side Germinal Beerschot in 2011 for just £900,000 represents the coup de grace for Celtic’s policy of scouting talented up-and-coming but little known young talents.

But while the loss of Wanyama would be a financial boost, with the money set to be reinvested in a replacement and fresh contracts for remaining stars, the 22-year-old’s name now looks to be added to a lengthy injury list for the Scottish Champions ahead of their visit to Belfast to play Cliftonville next Wednesday.


Keeping fit: Wanyama had been training in Germany with the Scottish Premier League champions

Captain Scott Brown is a doubt for the game against the Northern Irish champions, as is Joe Ledley, Adam Matthews and want away striker Gary Hooper, while Virgil van Dijk and Charlie Mulgrew picked up fresh injuries in last night’s 6-2 thumping. Striker Tony Watt has been sent home from Germany with a back strain, while Efe Ambrose will be too late back from international duty with Nigeria to play his part.

Lennon said: 'It’s a concern because I don’t know what team I’m going to have available for next week. If Scott Brown comes through the next couple of days he may get a run out against Union Berlin on Friday.

'But Joe and Adam are going to struggle. We would have to see where they are but it would be debatable whether we would throw them into a game like that.


Short: Scott Brown (left) is a doubt for Celtic's Champions League qualifier against Cliftonville

'Hoops has got a groin strain so I don’t know how long he is going to be out.

'Efe’s not back until the 15th because he didn’t finish international duty until late June. We knew he wouldn’t be involved on this trip and that he wouldn’t be involved for the first game. And Tony Watt has a back strain and we’ve sent him home to get it looked at.

'So that’s where we are. We are stretched and it’s a concern because everything is taking its toll and we’ve still got another pre-season friendly to come on Friday in Berlin.'

But Lennon is hoping to finalise a deal for former Wolves defender Steven Mouyokolo today, after agreeing a one-year deal for the Frenchman, pending results of a medical.

On to the next then Malky

On to the next then Malky

Agree time to move on

i see that move as a smokescreen....

im hoping ince will sign but if not there are others out there...

in malky we trust

I hope we get a real marquee signing as this may then be the catalyst to get others in. Our intentions will be real then as opposed to MM having to sell his plans

That's a shame, would loved it if we signed him! I think next year if we stay up, we will attract a lot more good players! Hope Malky can sign a few more quality players at the mean time.

Dissapointed with this to be fair, lets hope that 10million we bid for wanyama will be spent on another top class player

I'm suprised Cardiff have not looked at Nacer Chandly, You could snap him up for 9 million and is a beast of a player. Plays on the wing and up top. Wages may be high but I'd have him over Ince any day.

I think City have shot themselves in the foot if that is the case. To fall short by 500k - 1m for a player who could give you a far better shot of Premiership survival. It's a no brainer. Hope it does not come back to haunt City at the end of the season.

Personally, I'm not too disappointed myself. Malky's will get his man.

Personally, I'm not too disappointed myself. Malky's will get his man.

except he wont


(in this case anyway)

Personally, I'm not too disappointed myself. Malky's will get his man.

except he wont


(in this case anyway)

Maybe, but I think if MM really wanted him then he would. The whole saga just got over complicated.

You can't blame Lennon wanting as much as he can get upfront on this deal surely..? The man is only trying to do the best for his club.

However spending that amount of money on him is crazy and smacks of despersation IMO

surely it would be the chairman and not the manager dictating the price he was sold for?

surely it would be the chairman and not the manager dictating the price he was sold for?

Managers are more involved these days then previously. It was quite a while since the infamous George Graham brown envolpe you know.

A transfer situation with this guy was not straight forward and a lot of confusion.

Personally a little bit dissapointed but no doubt MM will keep looking and trying.

We showed our intent which is key for me because a player of his standard and the clubs that were interested is a good sign.

I thought it was a bit too much money for him - prefer to get Ince for 8 and a defender for 4 then spend 12 on Wanyama.

I think City have shot themselves in the foot if that is the case. To fall short by 500k - 1m for a player who could give you a far better shot of Premiership survival. It's a no brainer. Hope it does not come back to haunt City at the end of the season.

I'm of the same opinion, which makes me think that it must have been down to something more than the reported £500k-£1m difference in valuation. Maybe disagreement about a sell on fee % or something?

Either there's more to it or the club are using this as a statement that we won't be forced into paying more than we should just because Tan has the extra cash.

Wanyama Close To Southampton Move Though Kenyan FA Says Deal Is Already Done -

Sky Sports is claiming that Southampton are set to wrap up the signing of Celtic star Victor Wanyama in the next 48 hours.

The midfielder is believed to be ready to bring a long-running transfer saga to a close by agreeing a switch to the Saints.

It is understood the 22 year old will travel to the south coast on Wednesday evening, where the final details of a transfer will be thrashed out.

Meanwhile the Kenyan FA has already announced that the player has signed for he English premiership side.

With a heading, ‘FKF President hails Victor Wanyama,’ a statement on the Kenyan FA’s website suggests that the 22-year-old has completed his move to Southampton, saying: “Kenyan Football Players can now make a break through to one of the world’s top football league; The English Premier League after current Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyama Mugube made history by signing for Premiership side Southampton”

As a Federation we are extremely thrilled with this move by Victor who has continued to be Kenya’s football ambassador due to his exploits on the pitch” the statement continued.

The Kenyan international did not play in his side’s 6 – 2 friendly loss to Greuther Furth and instead remained at the club’s German training base to sort out personal terms with the Premiership side.

If the move is confirmed, it will be the largest transfer fee ever paid in Scottish football with Rangers previously having that record when they signed Tore Andre Flo for £12m in 2000.

Reports suggest money raised from the sale of Wanyama would be used to offer contracts to current squad members at Celtic with the possibility of a big name arrival not ruled out.

The 22 year-old has attracted interest from other clubs south of the border with Cardiff submitting a £10m offer.

Transfer latest: Southampton confirm signing of Celtic's Victor Wanyama for undisclosed fee
Kenyan midfielder joins Saints on a four-year deal for a fee in the region of £12m

Celtic’s Victor Wanyama has completed his move to Southampton for a fee believed to be £12.5m.

Southampton confirmed the deal on their official Twitter account before the news was then published on their club website, and he becomes the club’s second signing this summer after they secured Croation Dejan Lovren last month.

Having just put pen to paper on a four-year deal, Wanyama said: "It feels great and I am happy to be here."

"Finally it has happened and we've come to the end [of negotiations], so I am delighted. There were other options, but Southampton is a club with ambitions so I chose to came here.

"Southampton is a good club and it has good players, so I just want to train hard and work hard to be a part of the starting XI. We'll see where that will take me.

"I'm very grateful to be here and I'm looking forward to playing in the Premier League.

"I've seen that the stadium is great and the dressing room is looking good, and I know some of the players. I hope they will help me and I think I will get along with the others, so it will be good.

"I am happy to be a part of Southampton's squad. It means a lot because because it has been my dream to play in the Premier League and now I am here."