SEAD HAKSABANOVIC made only two substitute appearances for Celtic after Brendan Rodgers took over from Spurs-bound Ange Postecoglou in June 2023.
The Sweden-born Montenigro international winger had joined the champions from Russian club Rubin Kazan for a cut-price £1.7million in the summer of 2022.
He was a regular pick in Postecoglou’s matchday squads, but didn’t start a solitary game for his successor and was on his way on a quickfire season-long loan to Championship outfit Stoke City in the August transfer window.
Haksabanovic didn’t help his case when he took to Instagram to state: “If they don’t see your value maybe you’re not at the right place.”
His five-year deal in Glasgow was obliterated the moment Rodgers’ attention was drawn to the social media message and the player’s fate was sealed when the Irishman admitted tersely: “I’ve had a word.”
THE END IS NIGH…Sead Haksabanovic is tackled by Kilmarnock defender Lewis Mayo in Celtic’s 1-0 League Cup loss at Rugby Park in August 2023. He was on his way after just one more appearance.
“In the first games of the season, I was not even in the squad, but then Oh Hyeon-gyu picked up an injury, so I was on the bench, despite the manager telling me I was not in his plans.
“I explained to him that I was 24 and that I needed to play, either on loan or on a permanent transfer. I needed to think about myself and getting game time.
“He said he would help me with that, but I did not feel like I got the help from him that he promised me. While the board were saying one thing, and he was saying another thing.”
Haksabanovic, speaking in a report in the Scottish Sun, continued: “It was mixed signals for me, so I did not really know what was going on, as the board did not want to accept any of the bids from other teams that were on the table.
“The moment of realisation was when we played Athletic Club Blibao for James Forrest’s testimonial. The manager switched the whole team, but I didn’t play.
“I knew that I would not get any minutes, so I looked to leave on loan to get some game time, in order to come back a better player.
“I wanted to be at Celtic and play for Celtic, but when the manager told me that I was not part of his plan, I got sad – but that’s football, and you need to keep going.”
Haksabanovic was on his way out only four days after his ill-advised social media post, but the player insists he has no regrets over voicing his opinion.
He added: “This was the last thing that I could do in order for Celtic to let me leave.
“It was not a frustration towards Brendan or the board, but they were saying no to everything.
“I even told them that it was better if they let me leave rather than have me stay at the club and not be in the squad for games.
“If I was put out on loan and got the game-time that I needed, then I could have got back and fought for my place. I told the club that if I had the same chance as playing as the other guys, then I would stay and fight for my place.
“Unfortunately, that was not the case. I went on loan to Stoke City, which started well, and I won Player of the Month, before getting injured, which made me lose any consistency I had built up.”
Alex Neil, the former Hamilton Accies head coach who took the Swede to the second-tier team, was sacked before the turn of the year with the club toiling in 20th place in the table.
Haksabanovic contributed one goal and two assists in 21 appearances as the club escaped relegation by five points.
Malmo made their move for the forward in the summer, Celtic recouped their initial financial outlay and the deal was sealed without a hitch.
On the August day in 2022 when he arrived at Parkhead from Russia, Haksabanovic reflected on the deeds of a fellow-Swede at the club and said: “I know that Henrik Larsson is a big legend here and I know his son really well.
“Hopefully, I can do something similar to him which is very hard to achieve, but I’m going to try my best.”
Alas, it didn’t quite go according to plan for Haksabanovic.
