Anderlecht and Standard Liege are interested in signing Newcastle United defender Chancel Mbemba, who is also a Celtic target, this summer.
The centre-back joined Newcastle from Anderlecht in 2015, but was reduced to being a bit part player at the club in the just concluded season, where he made just nine Premier League appearances.
The 23-year-old Congolese defender is not expected to be part of Rafael Benitez’s plans going forward and the club are expected to consider offers to sell him in the ongoing transfer window.
Celtic are keen on getting their hands on Mbemba as Brendan Rodgers looks to bring in more defensive reinforcements, but they could face stiff competition from two Belgian clubs.
According to Belgian daily Het Nieuwsblad, Anderlecht are keen on re-signing their former defender and even Standard Liege are considering taking Mbemba back to Belgium.
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The two clubs are prepared to gamble big on the 23-year-old centre-back, but for the moment they are outsiders to sign Mbemba as the player is not keen on a move back to Belgium.
It has been claimed that the player believes that a return to Anderlecht or joining Standard Liege would be seen as a failure and he wants to prove himself away from a non-Belgian club.
It could hand Celtic the advantage as Mbemba is not interested in a return to his old stomping ground yet.
