IT TOOK Celtic three years before they could jettison Swiss flop Albian Ajeti who cost £5million from West Ham in August 2020.
The misfiring frontman was brought in by Neil Lennon as the club’s most expensive summer recruit as they prepared for the historic assault on a tenth successive title.
Ajeti managed a mere six goals as the champions toppled from their Premiership pinnacle in a season where they limped home without silverware for the first time in 11 years.
SWISS MISS…Albian Ajeti can’t hide his frustration as another chance is scorned.
The following season, Ajeti continued to perplex and, after three strikes in 17 appearances, he played his last first-team game in the 3-2 Europa League win over Real Betis at Parkhead on December 9 2021.
Lennon’s successor Ange Postecoglou sent the Swiss dud on loan to Austrian outfit Sturm Graz at the start of the 2022/23 campaign. Predictably, Ajeti didn’t convince during his temporary switch and was sent back to Glasgow.
Brendan Rodgers succeeded where his predecessors had failed by eventually getting the player off the pay-roll in September 2023 when Turkish outfit Gaziantep FK were tempted to pay £500,000 for him. Like Celtic, they realised they had wasted their money.
Ajeti was freed in February and joined his former club Basel on a 16-month contract.
The player wasted three years at Parkhead, but spare a thought for the Celtic striker who was heading for the exit – after only 27 DAYS.
COLE’S GOAL…the solitary effort claimed by Carlton Cole as he heads home against Stranraer at Stair Park.
That distinction fell to one-time England international forward Carlton Cole who was given the boot by ruthless Rodgers who made the quickfire decision to hand the player his P45.
The 33-year-old misfiring marksman scored only one goal in five appearances after Ronny Deila had signed him following his release in October 2015 from West Ham where he had spent nine years. His solitary strike came in a 3-0 Scottish Cup win over Stranraer at Stair Park in January 2016.
Rodgers had only been in the job 27 days when the seven times-capped forward was released eight months into his original two-year deal.
After getting the elbow from the Irishman, Cole had a brief and goalless stint in the States with Sacramento Republic where he played only four games before returning to the UK.
That was followed by a disastrous spell in Indonesia with Persib Bandung where he failed to score in five appearances and had his contract terminated.
Cole, who played for eight different clubs after starting his career at Chelsea in 2001, had a trial with AFC Wimbledon in January 2018 before announcing his retirement three months later.
