Celtic 'have been watching' £20m target for 'a long time' at Parkhead

Celtic ‘have been watching’ Bristol City striker Antoine Semenyo for ‘quite a long time’ ahead of a potential move, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The 22-year-old has reportedly caught the eye of several top teams following an impressive campaign with the Championship outfit and could be plying his trade away from Ashton Gate next term.

According to Bristol World, Celtic sent senior scout Craig Strachan to run the rule over Semenyo during the winter as the Robins took on Reading.

And the same outlet has stated that the South-West side have placed a £20 million price tag on their prized asset as they look receive a substantial fee for the academy graduate.

Manager Nigel Pearson recently addressed the growing speculation surrounding Semenyo’s future in an interview with BBC Radio Bristol.

“I don’t spend too much time worrying about that. I think we will, in time, have decisions to make on him, but hopefully, he’ll be here this year,” admitted the 58-year-old tactician.

“Would I stand in his way of going to top a Premier League side? Absolutely not. But it would have to be the right deal for us, as a team.”

Semenyo’s current contract expires in the summer of 2023, but Bristol City are believed to have the option to extend his deal by a further 12 months, leaving them in a strong position around the negotiating table.

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Nevertheless, O’Rourke is ‘sure’ that Celtic will have ‘continued to monitor his situation’ after being linked to the talented forward over the last couple of windows.

He told GiveMeSport: “I think he’s someone that Celtic have been watching for quite a long time. There was talk of a possible move last summer, and also during the