Sead Haksabanovic is on his way. Or is he?
The simple answer is that we do not know and that we might have a better idea when Ange sits tomorrow in front of the mainstream media tomorrow for his weekly press conference.
He has denied stories before where everyone seemed to think deals were done.
In the absence of facts, are a lot of blank spaces.
Unfortunately, we are surrounded by people who cannot sit still without trying to fill them in. This has led some Celtic sites to conclude that if we’re buying this guy then someone’s definitely going.
The thing is, they are probably right.
But they should stop over-reacting and over-thinking it.
Of course we’re going to lose some players in this window, the manager has been saying it right from the start. And since the start we’ve talked about how the club wanted at least one more player for the wide role.
So why are some people hitting the panic button because of stories that we might be on the brink of closing just such a transfer deal?
We have, it seems to me, become very easy to spook in these last couple of years. Were we always this timid? Were we always so inclined to jump every time there’s a knock on the door? Look at some of the forums tonight, loaded down with talk that because we’re going for this guy then there must be a key player heading out the door.
Some have even speculated that it’s Jota. Jesus wept. Others think that we’re bringing in a winger because we’re selling Juranovic. Which makes no sense at all, of course, but seems logical to them somehow although I struggle to comprehend it.
Let’s focus on Jota for a minute, and ponder the idea that we’re about to flog a guy we’ve literally only just signed, a matter of weeks ago, and who is the outstanding footballer in this country right now. Where do people get this stuff? Can they actually believe it? Can they imagine the shock waves that would send through the fan-base and coaching staff?
The manager has identified key areas where he still thinks we need strength in depth. The left side of midfield has long been supposed to be one of them. Why the sudden surprise if we’re moving in that direction? It really doesn’t come as much of a shock.
I do wonder if it’s the key position which needs filled but let’s surmise for a moment – and we’ll be right to – that it won’t be a Jota or Abada or Juranovic who leaves. That it’ll be the guys we’ve already guessed; Ajeti and Mikey Johnston.
Now, Ajeti’s departure frees up a space for a striker. Imagine that’s Maeda playing through the middle, as the backup to our main two. We can play Jota and Abada wide left and right, but that left side looks a bit bare if something happens to our Portuguese boy … so replace Ajeti with Maeda and Johnston with the new guy … that fits perfectly.
We’re in the midst of what will be a long and tough campaign both domestically and in Europe. The manager wants to have enough tools available to do that job. A 25 man squad, on which we can depend in every game, is what we’re heading for here and in the context of that I think this signing makes perfect sense, and will add further strength to us.
Yeah players will leave before the window shuts, of course they will. But it will be the ones the manager no longer has a use for. Not those who are crucial to the plan.
Wur doomed. DOOMED ah tell ye!
There’s one thing that hasn’t been explained with this deal. The guy plays for Ruben Kazan in the Russian league. The last time I checked (which was admittedly a few months ago) there were international sanctions in place that took Russian banks out of the SWIFT international banking system — effectively cutting all Russian financial institutions from sending or receiving payments outside its borders. Have those sanctions been lifted, and if not how is this deal going to happen? Is he being released from Ruben Kazan and now signing as a free agent? Or have Celtic found a way around those sanctions?
All of the mights, maybe’s, possible ‘s could’s ,chances, probables ,likely’s perhaps’ that you could drink from a toilet bowl , is all horse manure as far I’m concerned! Conjecture, speculation ,guesswork and theories do not help anyone or the situation. Let’s wait and see ! A nice surprise is always sweeter.
The political and financial side of the proposed player deal is a bit of a mystery to me, but it does look like that it may be possible and he would be a welcome addition.
Assuming that players will be going out the door though is a bit of a hit or a miss, for other clubs are going to have to want them to begin with. The players we all think may be expendable have all been available for a few weeks now, but I don’t see a queue of clubs willing to sign them on. There is not a lot of time left to get any deals concluded so it is all going to be a bit frantic and we might be left with, not quite deadwood, but players on high wages that are not part of Ange’s plans.
I see Halkett has gone off injured already in Zurich and therefore very unlikely to be playing against us on Sunday.
You can say it’s not Jota but we all know that if this grasping board get offered £30m they’ll have him on a plane before he can even grab a toothbrush!
And quite right too. That’s why we fans could never run the club successfully. Just look at all the money we lost by not selling players when we could have only to sell them cheaply or free them a season or two later.
If Sead Haksa.. comes in and Mikey goes out (who knows where to) Celtic will have the minimum 8 homegrown players out of thirty. Isn’t Owen Moffat ready for promotion to the Firsts?. He is a winger. Alexandro Bernabei has not played a lot of Primera Football in Argentina, but he has played one game on the wing. If you want fairer, lower cost and more exciting Premier Leagues in Great Britain, Ireland and other FIFA Euro Zones the homegrown player number should be increased to 12. I can hear the Howls. I want to get away from rich Clubs buying Premierships. Since 1900 the Scottish Premiership Comp has been nearly always contested by Rangers and Celtic. May as well follow League of Ireland, Premier Division.