With Celtic uninterested in signing on-loan defender Jonjoe Kenny from Everton permanently following an underwhelming spell in Glasgow (Kenny incidentally is now getting more minutes than ‘the next big thing’ Nathan Patterson is at Goodison Park), a crucial area that needed cover was the right back position. With Celtic only really having Anthony Ralston to call upon in that position, it was imperative that Ange brought someone in capable of hitting the ground running.
On 21 August 2021 Celtic signed Croatian international Josip Juranovic from Polish side Legia Warsaw on a five year contract for a fee of around £2.5m. To get Croatia’s first choice right back, who at 26 years old is in the prime of his career, for such a price was an absolute bargain. Any information that came out about Juranovic was all positive, with it being well known that he was a hugely popular player at his previous clubs Legia Warsaw and Hajduk Split.
Juranovic has went on to have a wonderful campaign and has been a huge part in Celtic’s success this season. He is currently away on international duty with Croatia and has been discussing the move to Scotland with the media in his home country. He told Dalmacija Danas:
“Honestly, when I arrived in Glasgow I was a little sceptical, especially since the team won nothing last season. However, on the first day, the coach approached me and said, ‘this is a new Celtic, I want you in it.
“He automatically brought a smile to my face, and since then it hasn’t left my face. It paid off, we are first in the league table with three points more than Glasgow Rangers (sic). Upon our return from Doha, a big derby awaits us immediately, we are offered the opportunity to go six points clear. So everything is in our hands.
“The city is great, the crowds even better, the teammates amazing. I’m looking forward to lifting the trophy with Celtic.”
Juranovic had every right to be sceptical. If he had done any homework at all into his new club he would have discovered the absolute mess we were in after an atrocious season that ended without a trophy and an embarrassing amount of points behind a bang average theRangers side. It’s fantastic to hear that as soon as he met Ange Postecoglou his worries were put to bed and it doesn’t surprise me at all. The Australian has done a miraculous job in turning the horrors of last season into almost unbridled positivity this season.
Juranovic has been a huge success story since signing, joining a host of other fantastic recruits all brought in under Ange Postecoglou that have managed to gel almost immediately, handing the club the opportunity to go from a season where we won nothing to a potential treble winning campaign. Juranovic’s work rate is very impressive and he is the type who always gives his all and isn’t scared of a battle. He has as much ability going forward as he has defensively and in many ways reminds me of Mikael Lustig, always reliable, someone you can always guarantee to be at least a 7/10 every week.
Lets hope like Lustig he stays around and gives the best years of his career to Celtic.
Conall McGinty
David Potter’s new book, Willie Fernie – Putting on The Style will be out shortly on Celtic Star Books and you can pre-order below…
