I, like so many others of a Celtic persuasion, will have been rather perplexed today to learn that Josip Juranovic is most likely going to be leaving the Hoops soon for a move to Serie A side Monza. It comes as a lightening bolt out of the blue that nobody could have predicted without the use of a crystal ball. Having said that, even that would have been a push.
Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium crosses the ball past Josip Juranovic of Croatia during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group F match between Croatia and Belgium at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on December 01, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
At £7 million the touted fee, as our Editor alluded to earlier; it’s a considerable amount of green lower than anyone would have imagined. The player played a starring role in his country’s run to a World Cup Semi-final this year merely a few weeks ago. He forced Real Madrid and Brazil star, Vinicius Junior out of the game in the Quarter-final game too and had pundits raving about his ability non-stop in Qatar.
This deal makes zero sense. Especially so, when you factor in that it’s a loan deal with an option-to-buy included for Monza IF they avoid relegation from Italy’s top flight. It seems like it’s daylight robbery from Berlusconi on this one and has left myself and many others betwixt and between at the reports. That swindled feeling is beginning to make a home deep in the gut region at present – that is undeniable.
Shakhtar Donetsk’s Ukrainian forward Mykhailo Mudryk (L) gets past Celtic’s Croatian defender Josip Juranovic to score the 1-1 goal during UEFA Champions League Group F between Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic FC in Warsaw on September 14, 2022. (Photo by JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
On the contrary, let’s take a minute to think about this and digest it a bit. A plausible explanation could be that there has been a sea-change in policy when it comes to recruitment and wantaway stars in particular at Celtic Park. Having saw our Ten-in-a-row dream go up in smoke a couple of years back, largely due to stars who had their heads elsewhere, could it be it is a collective reset within the club?
Juranovic stories have been filling the media and newspapers for months now and his agent has been running off at the mouth too. Giakoumakis is exactly the same. He’s another who is primed for the exit door and Ange Postecoglou mentioned this weekend after the Kilmarnock game that he “never falls in love” with his players anywhere he goes.
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is seen during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Kilmarnock FC at on January 07, 2023. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
So, could it just be possible that Ange and Michael Nicholson are cutting ties before anything builds or snowballs with both these players? It’s an interesting supposition to make at this current juncture. Why else would we be selling a player like Juranovic for that kind of fee? Is Ange ready to clear the decks of anybody who is not willing to get with the programme and contribute to the collective good of Celtic Football Club?
It could be a possibility considering the facts we are presented with today and these stories about our right-back and striker. Is this the ruthlessness that Ange has so often spoken about and insisted might make the supporters uneasy and even wince?
Well if it is, it’s certainly working Mr Postecoglou!
Paul Gillespie
