Learning to punch like Dutch and Portuguese sellers

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Josip Juranovic, who was recently mentioned as a target for Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, is reported by Sky Sports to be heading to Monza, currently 15th in Serie A, for around £7m.  It is neither the move nor the fee I was hoping for Josip.  His spectacular World Cup performances, especially in the quarter final win over Brazil, had me expecting he would move on for a more substantial fee and to a tier one club.

Celtic put the For Sale sign up for Josip since before he headed to Qatar, unusually announcing they were unable to agree a new contract for a player with 3.5 years left on his current deal.  He was given the responsibility of going to-to-toe with Neymar, a test he passed with merit.  Still, there are no big bidders.

Despite the balance on his contract, with his replacement already starting at right back (and looking like an upgrade), we are at peak value for Josip, so should move him on.  Potential buyers will be less keen to cough up a large fee if he has been playing backup or putting in mixed performances at left back.

The fee is less of a disappointment than the lack of interest from a top club.  Kieran Tierney remains the only player to have left Celtic to a genuinely wealthy side since Henrik (Lyon were close).  Kieran, a genuine talent, has had mixed success in London and his most often second choice left back at Arsenal.  This is not helpful to Celtic.

For Celtic’s business model to flourish, we need to punch the same weight as Dutch and Portuguese sellers.  If you are a pathway to Arsenal, Barcelona or once-removed to Liverpool (Virgil), you find it easier and cheaper to recruit players with potential.  To make any of this possible, Champions League results are necessary, performances SPFL just don’t count.  There is a lot of work ahead.

Should Premiership teams play Sweet Georgia Brown when Connor Goldson walks out of their tunnel?  If you know, you know.  Sunday’s ‘arms by his side’ nonsense at Tannadice was the worst yet.

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  1. Prestonpans bhoys on

    Sunday’s ‘arms by his side’ nonsense at Tannadice was the worst yet.

     

     

    Not according to the BBC🙃

  2. I didn’t see the big money move to a tier 1 or even 2 team happening

     

     

    He’s too old unfortunately, and hasn’t been the best in the Spl which is a prerequisite if there’s no European performances on the cv.

     

     

    You only have to look at what Sporting are looking for and are likely to get for their right back Pedro Porro to see what we’re up against. 23, one cap for Spain, 100 odd league appearances and spurs will likely pay more than £30m for him

     

     

    Still, we’ll have made a tidy sum on selling and replacing a player who wanted away, we can make the serious money on the players who’ll command a big fee.

  3. onenightinlisbon on

    Good luck to any of our players who decide to leave. I’m sure the vast majority might end up with a bigger bank balance but little in the way of winners medals. The modern footballer seems to rate things in that way….

  4. Kieran Tierney has been a great success at Arsenal, just has competition for his place now. All Arsenal fans I know love him

  5. JJ is no spring chicken but I’m still surprised off the back of his WC that an EPL side haven’t come in for him. £7 million is change down the sofa for even the lowest ranking EPL side.

  6. Prestonpans bhoys on

    Park Road 67

     

     

    Bit of a fluke actually, just finished reading SC and popped over for a 👀

  7. BHOYJOEBELFAST on 9TH JANUARY 2023 11:25 AM

     

    BIG JIMMY@7.17

     

     

     

     

    Your mention of ‘everlasting love’ from Love Affair brought back memories circa 68/69,when boarding a taxi outside Port Glasgow Station,that record was being played on Radio Luxembourg.Windows down in taxi,and a crowd of Celtic fans emerging from Star hotel,started to sing along.Ah! Memories.

     

    ……………….

     

    The Group ” LOVE AFFAIR” had at least one other Big Hit with a song called ” RAINBOW VALLEY”…its also FAB.

     

    Cheers mate and HH.

  8. Monza isn’t as bad an option for Jura as it might seem and is the sort of club who’d be interested. Berlusconi is serious about establishing them in Serie A and is making noises about spending a bit of cash to do it.

  9. ‘To make any of this possible, Champions League results are necessary, performances SPFL just don’t count.’

     

     

     

    ###

     

     

    Mmmm.

     

     

    Does it have to be results though?

     

     

    Would exciting, fast flowing, attractive to watch football not be sufficient?

  10. JJ, because of his age, will be looking to start as many games as possible, so, he may lower his expectations as going to the EPL would likely be as a backup at this time in the season. I still think £7 mill. is a steal, although that may have been the figure agreed for clubs to speak to him at the time of his signing for us, por cierto

  11. If Goldson was wearing a green and white jersey at Tannadice then it’s a 100% penalty. Ditto Ibrox last week. Idiots like Boyd I will ignore but the soup takers (and we now need to include Michael Stewart in that group) are an embarrassment as they turn, twist and somersault in their arguments to justify the woeful decision making which has dominated this season so far.

  12. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    “To make any of this possible, Champions League results are necessary, performances SPFL just don’t count. ”

     

    —————

     

    Been saying that for years. You can go back to Ajax 18-19 and Monaco 16-17 to see what a good CL run can do to the value of your players.

     

    It’s just a pity that the old firm always seems to get in the way…..

  13. Please someone tell me we aren’t seriously considering selling juranovic for such a paltry sum . Whoever agrees to this should get hunted .

  14. BIG JIMMY on 9TH JANUARY 2023 12:37 PM

     

    I would love to see GOLDSON playing Basketball….wearing Boxing Gloves.

     

    ——————

     

    I was made to wear boxing gloves to bed when I was an adolescent. Not sure why

  15. JIMTIM on 9TH JANUARY 2023 1:32 PM

     

    Please someone tell me we aren’t seriously considering selling juranovic for such a paltry sum . Whoever agrees to this should get hunted .

     

     

     

    ###

     

     

    The logic of the piece also suggests that the possibility of Champions League results next season is being discounted.

  16. Paul 67,

     

     

    Sobering but true article.

     

    As a club our aspiration must be Champions league football, or as a minimum European football. This is where players will want to be and where they will be ultimately judged.

     

     

    This is exactly why I’m getting so annoyed with all the guilt edged chances we pass up.

     

    Missing 8 or 9 and scoring 2 will suffice in our domestic game. But not for a higher level , where we must show we belong.

     

     

    To succeed a manager must be ruthless. I feel we will witness Ange’s ruthlessness.

     

    Zero tolerance for continual underachievment.

     

     

    We never stop. Ambition, ambition ambition.

     

     

    HH.

  17. Do Celtic insert release clauses into contracts for players now rather than being able to accept the highest bid, looks like it with this fee?

  18. bigrailroadblues on

    Good afternoon all from Shawlands. A rather dreich day but I’m looking forward to Saturday pre match when that fine fellow Prestonpans buys me loadsa beers in the Vicky Bar.🍺😂

  19. bournesouprecipe on

    Paul67

     

     

    What happened to the Athleti bid ?

     

     

    Fanciful to buy an already established Croatian international for a mere £2.5M then sell him for £20M. Much more likely is the bid by Monza ( me neither ? ). Good bit of business by Celtic near three times what we paid for a player , that doesn’t want to be here, and as you say has already been upgraded.

     

     

    Ange will not suffer wantaways including GG, get him upgraded next, and get him in the revolving Parkhead door.

     

     

    If the Celtic good money salary you signed for is no use to you long term, even when it’s with a rise, then it’s a two way street and you’re no good to the season ticket buyers. It’s bad for a dressing room, trying to win the annual bent league.

  20. bournesouprecipe on

    Another round of games and more rope to hang VAR.

     

     

    Sevco running at, a handball a game ?

     

     

    New Sevco handball rules introduced mid season.

  21. BSR

     

    As long as other managers don’t point the finger at the dodgy decisions then it will be put down to our paranoia.

     

    Liam Fox doesn’t appear to have said about goldson the goalie.

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