It is already shaping up to be a pretty substantial summer for reigning Scottish Premiership champions Celtic.
Brendan Rodgers will need a new goalkeeper with Joe Hart’s retirement imminent. The departure of Alexandro Bernabei leaves the club short on natural left-sided full-backs too. There is also a decision to make about Adam Idah, the Norwich City loanee impressing on loan but a permanent deal uncertain at this stage.
Celtic may also find themselves dipping into the market for another central midfielder as well. Particularly if Paulo Bernardo returns to Benfica, and The Hoops receive an offer they simply cannot refuse for the much-admired Matt O’Riley.
Ardon Jashari will not be around to step into those shoes should O’Riley leave, however. A midfielder who has been linked on and off with Celtic for over 12 months now appears to have got a move sewn up already, with two months of the season still remaining.
Celtic target on the verge of £4 million-plus transfer
Jashari, according to Het Nieuwsblad and Het Laaste Nieuws, will make the transition from FC Luzern in his native Switzerland to Belgian giants Club Brugge.
Brugge, who are keen to hire Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy as their new head coach, are reportedly paying a fee in excess of £4 million for the Luzern captain. Jashari is expected to have his official unveiling at the Jan Breydel Stadium sooner rather than later.
This, then, brings an end to any suggestion that Jashari, who featured for Switzerland at the Qatar World Cup and has been likened to Jude Bellingham due to his box-to-box capabilities, could once again find himself under consideration by a Celtic side who’s recruitment department has come in for some heavy criticism since Rodgers’ return.
Jashari, still only 21, has also been linked with Arsenal and Leeds United in recent transfer windows.
Big summer looming for Brendan Rodgers
“Jashari has a personality that qualifies him as a leader. You rarely see that at this age,” explains scout Oliver Zesiger, drawing comparisons between the youngster and Bayer Leverkusen’s former Arsenal skipper Granit Xhaka.
“Physically, Granit is stronger. (But) both players can move the ball in progression. In addition, the two are good at reading a game and winning the ball back. If things continue, then he’ll definitely end up at a club in one of the top five leagues (in Europe).”
A spell at Club Brugge could be the first step on that journey.
HITC, meanwhile, understands that Celtic’s number one goalkeeper target is Liverpool’s Coaimhin Kelleher. The Glasgow giants have also watched Trabzonspor captain Ugurcan Cakir.
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