Has The BBC Taken Over Celtic Transfer Negotiations?

In a move that was un-announced by either party, the BBC appears to have taken over transfer negotiations on behalf of Celtic and Southampton.

This shock move comes in a week when the hacks have been wetting their pants over a momentary lapse in concentration from John Collins, when he spoke to one of them in the mistaken belief that his comments would be taken at face value and not spun in the worst possible light.

Today it appears that some employees of the national broadcaster have taken to working on behalf of various football agents and perhaps even some PR firms (naming no names of course, but if I say many of them will find their Level you’ll get the drift) in a bid to sell Virgil Van Dijk.

It appears too that they’re happy to start talks even if the clubs themselves aren’t aware of it.

I understand that working in the media these days isn’t like it used to be. That the job of the hacks has become easy to the point where some of them are just heart lazy … but one “reporter” regurgitating made up crap from another is tiresome and devalues the profession.

This afternoon it’s the turn of Kenny Macintyre of the BBC Scotland newsroom, to tell the world that Southampton are “in discussions” about a transfer for Virgil Van Dijk.

But you don’t have to dig deep into the piece to find the caveat.

They’re not talking a fee yet.

No offer has been made.

So these discussions … what do they involve?

Are they talking to Celtic?

Of course not.

Then, to who?

Does this amount to any more than an exploratory phone call to someone (perhaps in a newsroom, since those places appear to be where most of these negotiations are taking place) asking if he might be available at some yet to be discerned point in the future?

The article contains not one “on the record” quote.

Not one actual expression of interest.

Not one insider from either club.

Nothing from the player.

Nothing from his agent.

In fact, it seems to have no basis in fact at all, and to be a nearly perfect re-tread of a piece that appeared earlier on the website at Talksport.

And where did the Talksport story come from?

It came from the Dutch media, who themselves had no quotes, no confirmed on the record source, and aren’t even alleging that a bid has been made, simply that Southampton are “preparing one.”

What exactly does “preparing a bid” involve these days?

Making sure there’s paper in the fax machine?

How long from “preparing a bid” to actually “making a bid” does it take?

McIntyre’s article, containing no one iota of actual substance, then goes on to offer a potted history of our transfer dealings with Southampton.

He seems to be boiling the matter down to little more than that they’ve bought players from us before.

Perhaps the half dozen ex-Celtic players at Ross County means big Virgil is on the way there?

As I said above, neither McIntyre, the Talksport piece or the Dutch article on which it based has anything in it which would confirm this as anything other than a rumour – last week it was Everton who were “preparing a bid” – but all three have actually quoted Ronny Deila.

And what was his take on it?

Celtic does not want to sell Virgil Van Dijk and have received no offers in any case.

No offers.

Perhaps all the fax machines are broke.

Perhaps it was just a slow news day in the BBC Sport offices.

Because otherwise this looks awfully like the national broadcaster either attempting to take over these negotiations themselves, or amplifying a rumour in order to unsettle both team and player in the run up to vitally important Champions League qualifiers.

And, of course, they wouldn’t do that … would they?