CELTIC’S lively winger Liel Abada is attracting interest from across the border, according to reports.
It has also been proclaimed the champions will attempt to fend off English suitors by enhancing the Israel international’s contract, but the Hoops made that offer almost TWO MONTHS ago, as CQN reported at the time.
Ange Postecoglou has already admitted the club are prepared for bids for star players and hinted there will be movement in and out of Parkhead in the January transfer window.
THUMB’S UP…Liel Abada signals to his team-mates – before VAR wiped out his strike against Livingston.
Liverpool have been linked with Abada in the past and there is no doubt the 21-year-old wide Bhoy has made an impact since arriving on a £3.75million deal from Maccabi Petah Tikva in July 2021 as one of the Greek-Australian gaffer’s first signings during his ambitious revamp of the first-team squad.
Now Southampton, who have invested millions in buying some of the Hoops’ top players in the past, are monitoring Abada’s progress, according to the Daily Record.
The international forward is under contract until the summer of 2026 and the Hoops are keen to keep a player who contributed 15 goals in his debut campaign and has collected nine strikes this time out.
The south coast top-flight English club have signed fans’ favourites such as Fraser Forester, Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and Stuart Armstrong in the recent past and there is an obvious link with the Glasgow giants who had Mohamed Elyounoussi on loan from the Saints for two years.
BALL BHOY…Liel Abada maintains his concentration.
However, it is hoped progress can be made between Celtic and Abada’s representatives during contract talks early in the new year.
One admirer of the darting raider is his former Israeli club chairman Avi Luzon who rated the youngster in the £17million bracket, as CQN flagged up back in June.
At the time, supremo Luzon insisted: “Liel’s worth today is much more than what he was sold for – £17million.”
With speculation continuing to surround Josip Juranovic and Giorgos Giakoumakis, it looks as though boss Postecoglou and the Parkhead powerbrokers are in for a hectic transfer window next month.
