Celtic have targeted Ryan Mmaee as Ange Postecoglou looking to strengthen his squad for their Champions League quest, as revealed exclusively by Daily record on Thursday night.
It’s been five years since the Hoops team last competed in the biggest club football tournament and Parkhead’s team will be looking to make sure they’re as well equipped as possible.
Mmaee will help add firepower to the Celtic ranks to complement the likes of Kyogo and Giorgos Giakoumakis.
He contributed to a staggering 30 goals for Ferencvaros last season with 11 assists, out of 19 for the Hungarian side.
Those stats will surely excite the Hoops legion and here Record sports check out the latest Parkhead target.
Who is Ryan Mmaee?
The striker currently plays for Hungary’s Ferencvaros, where he scored 19 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions last season, helping them win their 33rd domestic title.
The 24-year-old moved to Groupama Arena at the start of the season from AEL Limassol on the Cypriot side, where he spent two seasons despite not winning silverware on the island where Neil Lennon won his first trophy on Wednesday. Five.
Mmaee started his professional career in Belgium with Standard Liege but struggled to become a regular player upon moves to Waasland-Beveren and loan to Aarhus.
Should Celtic fans rejoice?
His goal stats alone (11 assists on 19 goals he’s scored) are enough for anyone to stand up and take notice.
Mmaee can play as a central striker but is also very effective on the left wing and his style will suggest he is a perfect fit for Ange Postecoglou.
Quick feet, a keen eye for goals and strength and power, he is likened to Belgian-Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi currently on loan at Besiktas from Chelsea.
His stats last season were on par with Celtic’s Kyogo and given the Japanese star’s impact at Parkhead wouldn’t be a bad addition.
Is there any history with Celtic?
It’s correct. Mmaee played 90 minutes in Ferencvaros’ 0-2 Europa League defeat in Glasgow last season and came on as a substitute for the final 23 minutes of the 3-2 defeat in Budapest.
An excellent Anthony Ralston save denied him at Parkhead as he almost found the net.
But it was actually his brother Samy, a Moroccan club and international teammate, who was mentioned after the game at Parkhead.
The centre-back targeted Kyogo with a mischievous warm-up, prompting pundits and former Parkhead stars Paul Lambert and Chris Sutton to both argue that he deserves more than the yellow card he received.
International career
Mmaee was born in Belgium to a Moroccan mother and Cameroonian father, thus qualifying to play for all three countries.
He played for Belgium at both Under-19 and Under-21 levels before choosing Morocco at senior level – and could meet his country of birth in Qatar World Cup.
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The striker has made seven appearances for Atlas Lions after announcing his move to Morocco last year but injury has left him out of Vahid Halilhodzic’s squad for next month’s AFCON qualifiers against Liberia and South Africa.
Mmaee made his debut for Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations earlier in the year, playing twice in a quarter-final loss to Egypt.
Anything else of interest?
Mmaee may not have enjoyed huge success on the pitch during his time in Cyprus but he did make headlines for a terrifying incident off the park.
Local media reported that he was “pulled from the wreckage after his vehicle crashed into a car dealership, injuring an employee inside” after his SUV crashed. touch with a car. Fortunately, he got out unharmed.
