Earlier today we covered some comments from Celtic’s Dedryck Boyata that were being carried by Belgian newspaper DH.
We explained that despite DH seemingly pushing for comments on a transfer, the defender wasn’t playing ball and sounded quite content at Celtic.
Perhaps we spoke too early. The Belgian media have clearly been very keen on building a Boyata transfer story and Het Nieuwsblad have managed it.
With a headline reading Boyata (Celtic): “I have not given up on the Premier League”, the Belgian newspaper make their premise very clear.
On renewing his contract, DH had Boyata saying: “We’re talking with Celtic for now, we’ll see what happens next, I’m in no hurry.”
Het Nieuwsblad quote him saying: “I like Celtic, but I am in no hurry to renew my contract.”
There’s every possibility that these comments are taken from the same press conference and have been spun two completely different ways.
What can’t be a matter of spinning is what Boyata is quoted as saying about a return to the Premier League, with the Belgian media repeatedly making Virgil van Dijk comparisons: “Of course he is an example, Virgil has always been a very talented player, but he owes his transfer mainly to his good performance at Southampton. When City sold me to Celtic, I have always resolved that a return to the Premier League remains possible.”
And there goes the idea of Boyata batting away any questions about a potential Celtic exit.
