Albian Ajeti seals loan move to SK Sturm Graz with £2m option to buy in deal

Albian Ajeti’s footballing exile ended today when the striker, a £5m signing from West Ham, left Celtic to sign a season-long loan deal with Austrian club SK Sturm Graz who also have an option to buy at £2m.

Recouping some of the funds outlaid in bringing the Switzerland international striker to Glasgow will be some consolation and freeing up his not inconsiderable wages will perhaps give the club some additional wiggle room ahead of the window closing.

Albian Ajeti scores. Photo Jeff Holmes

Ajeti, who was a Neil Lennon signing, started his Celtic career in decent form but soon suffered an injury and never really recovered his early momentum at the club. He was used by Ange Postecoglou in the first half of last season, playing in both matches against Real Betis in the Europa League, and in the game at Celtic Park he suffered another injury, as one of the many hamstring pulls Celtic were afflicted with last season.

That effectively ended his chances at Celtic and although he started in the first game of the pre-season he looked disinterested and the Celtic manager would not have been impressed.

Photo: Andrew Milligan

Hopefully, Ajeti can find some form through game time at Sturm Graz and can go on to seal a move that will help Celtic cut our losses. Not every transfer will work out but the money spent in that summer of 2020 really takes the biscuit in terms of bad decision-making at our club. Thankfully with the arrival of Ange things have changed dramatically for the better.

The Austrian side had this to say about their new signing from Celtic…

“Sturm Graz have signed Albian Ajeti. The 25-year-old Swiss comes on a one-year loan from Celtic, and will wear the number 9 shirt. At the end of the loan, SK Sturm has an option to buy.

“Centre-forward Ajeti has already played 11 international matches for Switzerland. Ajeti comes from FC Basel youth and has worked his way up to the first team of the Swiss club.

“Overall, he scored an impressive 45 goals in 105 Super League games for Basel and St. Gallen.

“In 2019, Ajeti moved from Basel to West Ham in the English Premier League, from London his path then led to Celtic Glasgow in 2020.”

Real Betis Sevilla – Celtic Glasgow September 16, 2021, S ALBIAN AJETI of Celtic  wins a penalty Cduring the Europa League Group G soccer match between Real Betis and Celtic FC at the Benito Villamarin Stadium Seville Spain – Photo Daniel Gonzalez Acuna

Ajeti said that he was “bursting with enthusiasm” to get started at his new club.

“The talks with SK Sturm Graz, Andreas Schicker and coach Christian Ilzer immediately convinced me and immediately gave me the feeling that I was in the right place at the right time,” Ajeti said.

“Sturm Graz is a big club with a great tradition and I’m very happy to be able to play in Graz in the future. I want to contribute my qualities and experience as quickly as possible and help the team both in the championship and in the upcoming group stage of the Europa League.

Albian Ajeti during the Premiership match at Livingston.: Photo Andrew Milligan

Referring to outgoing players as flops is distasteful, it didn’t work out for the player at Celtic and it was our decision to sign him after all. We wish Albian Ajeti all the very best at his new club and hopefully, he will rediscover the form he showed at Basel that got him his move to England.

 

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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