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Fullname: Michel-Ange Balikwisha
aka: MAB
Born: 10 May 2001
Birthplace: Ghent, Belgium
Signed: 28 Aug 2025 (est £5m from Royal Antwerp)
Left: –
Position: Winger
Debut: TheRangers 0-0 Celtic, SP, 31 Aug 2025
Squad No.: 10
Internationals: […]
International Caps: [TBC at end of career]
International Goals: [TBC at end of career]
Biog
Michel-Ange Balikwisha arrived at Celtic in the summer of 2025 as a rare and welcome big-money signing. The club, buoyed by the previous season’s league title and European progress, was already showing signs of decline, and the squad needed refreshing. Initially, it was reported that Balikwisha had been reluctant to join Celtic, as he was content at his current club.
Celtic had pursued Balikwisha for several transfer windows before finally securing the winger in a £5 million deal. His emotional farewell from Royal Antwerp fans and teammates suggested he had the talent to make an impact at Celtic.
However, his start in Glasgow was far from smooth. A turbulent season—marked by three managers (Rodgers, O’Neill in two spells, and Nancy) and an understrength squad—made it difficult for any new player to settle. Balikwisha had to repeatedly prove himself and readapt whenever he fell out of favour.
His Celtic debut at Ibrox, as a second-half substitute in a goalless draw, was a modest beginning. Despite earning regular game time under Rodgers and Martin O’Neill, his performances left supporters underwhelmed.
A rare highlight came in October 2025, when Balikwisha set up the winning goal in a 3-2 league victory over Motherwell. Yet this proved to be his peak for the season. By early November, he was already out of the picture.
Even under O’Neill, who had revived several careers, Balikwisha was largely sidelined. O’Neill’s comments in December 2025 hinted at a lack of confidence in the player:
“I said to some of the lads, Balikwisha hasn’t played under me much. The next manager will step in, play him, and find out if he could be the best. That’s the point. I’ve made that clear to him. The incoming manager may have a different opinion on some players than I do. That doesn’t mean I’m right.”
Critics might argue that Celtic’s managerial instability affected Balikwisha, but his struggles extended beyond the club. During the Africa Cup of Nations with his national team, he saw little action and faced significant criticism.
By the time O’Neill returned for his second interim spell, morale was low, injuries were mounting, and the squad desperately needed an overhaul. Yet even with gaps in the team, Balikwisha remained out of consideration—if not entirely written off by most supporters and the media.
A surprise start in a 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Auchinleck Talbot in January 2026 did little to change perceptions, as his performance was widely criticised.
To compound matters, Balikwisha became a symbol of Celtic’s dysfunctional transfer window. Many of the players the club had chased—and missed out on—were also struggling at their respective clubs, exposing flaws in Celtic’s scouting structure.
In short, he had become “The Forgotten Man”.
[….]
Quotes
“He is a really talented, exciting player and with a good level of experience at a high level already, so he will be an important player for us moving forward. He loves to attack and can play both sides of the pitch so we are sure he will give the team some great options.”
Brendan Rodgers on Balikwisha (Summer 2025)
“I said to some of the lads, Balikwisha hasn’t played under me (that much). The next manager will step in. Play him. And find out that he could be the best. This is the point. I have made that point to him. The incoming manager may have a difference of an opinion on some players that I would have. That doesn’t mean I am right.”
Martin O’Neill (Dec 2025)
“He’s a very, very nice footballer… My view would be that he would be more like a number ten. He wouldn’t be a full-blown striker & he’s definitely not a wide player. My message to him would be, ‘Just go’. It’s really up to him. It must be difficult for him to come in at the time he did and not be getting starts. I thought Wilfried Nancy might have played him, but that’s everyone to their own. But we spent some money on Michel-Ange, it’s up to him now to try to do it.”
Martin O’Neill (Jan 2026)
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Playing Career
[Table to indicate clubs played for, including dates, transfers and fees where known [e.g. soccerbase table]]
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2025-26 | |||||
| Goals | |||||
| 2026-27 | |||||
| Goals | |||||
| 2027-28 | |||||
| Goals | |||||
| 2028-29 | |||||
| Goals | |||||
| Total | |||||
| Goals |
Honours with Celtic
(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)
Scottish League
- […]
Scottish Cup
- […]
Scottish League Cup
- […]
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Articles
Celtic delighted to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/august/28/celtic-delighted-to-sign-michel-ange-balikwisha/
First Team
By Celtic Football Club
Share
28 Aug 2025, 8:28 pm
Celtic Football Club is delighted to announce that Michel-Ange Balikwisha has joined the club on a five-year deal from Royal Antwerp, subject to international clearance.
The 24-year-old attacker is looking forward to life with the Scottish champions and linking up with his former Belgium Under-21 team-mate, Arne Engels.
He spent the past four years with Royal Antwerp and in 2023 helped the club win their first Belgian league title since 1957.
Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers, said: “I am delighted to welcome Michel-Ange to Celtic and I believe he will be a great addition to our squad.
“He is a really talented, exciting player and with a good level of experience at a high level already, so he will be an important player for us moving forward.
“He loves to attack and can play both sides of the pitch so we are sure he will give the team some great options.
“Having spoken to Michel-Ange I know he is very excited about joining Celtic and he wants to be a big success with us, so we look forward to working with him.”
And speaking exclusively to Celtic TV, Michel-Ange Balikwisha explained that he is ready to play his part in the forthcoming campaign, which could come as early as this weekend when the Hoops take on Rangers in the first Glasgow derby of the season.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha said: “For me, it’s the right move because it’s a big club, they play well and they dominate the league.
“I’m a player who likes to press and to give everything so I think it’s the right choice to come here to continue like I did at my former club.
“I’m here to help the team, to get some trophies, to play in Europe and win everything, so that’s why I’m here.
“I’m a guy who likes to run deep, to have the ball at my feet, to come inside and to score, so that’s why I hope the fans will be happy to see me here and I will give everything for the club.
“I’ve played with Arne in the national team. He’s a good guy and that’s also why I’m happy to see him here.
“I need to be ready because it’s the most important game for the fans and for the club, and if I play in the game, I will give my best to help the team win this big game.”
Celtic Outcast Receives Hero’s Welcome At Former Club
By
Michael Shearer –
March 16, 2026
Michel-Ange Balikwisha returned to familiar ground on Sunday as the Celtic winger visited Royal Antwerp during a short break for Hoops players. The Congolese winger was invited onto the pitch before Antwerp’s match against Standard Liège and received a warm reception from the home supporters.
The reaction on Sunday showed the bond Balikwisha built during his time in Antwerp. When he stepped onto the pitch before kick-off, the crowd greeted him warmly. Supporters still remember his part in the team that lifted the Belgian title in 2023. It was only a brief appearance before the match began, yet the applause made clear he remains a familiar figure there
The fixture itself carried another link to his past. Antwerp were facing Standard Liège, the club where Balikwisha first came through as a young player. His move away from Standard helped push his career forward. Antwerp became the place where he turned potential into regular first-team football.
Things have been very different since his move to Celtic last summer for a reported £4.5 million. Minutes have been hard to find. Competition in the wide attacking positions has been strong throughout the season.
On the left side especially, Martin O’Neill has relied on other options. Sebastian Tounekti has often been used there when the manager wants direct running at defenders. Daizen Maeda also drifts across that flank during matches, using his pace and pressing to unsettle back lines.
Those two players have become regular choices in that area of the pitch. As a result, Balikwisha has slipped further down the pecking order.
His appearances have therefore been rare. A debut start away at Rangers suggested he would feature regularly, but the reality has been different. Months have passed without his name appearing in matchday squads.
In football those situations can develop quickly. A player can arrive with high expectations and then struggle to break into the team once others find form.
Back in Glasgow, the challenge remains finding a way back into the picture. With Tounekti and Maeda favoured on the left, the path into the side has closed. Celtic still have games left before the season ends.
If an opportunity appears, Balikwisha will hope to show the qualities that once made him such a popular figure in Antwerp.