Celtic defender Josip Juranovic continues to see his stock rise as a result of his performances at the World Cup in Qatar.
The right-back put in a man-of-the-match performance against Brazil and helped Croatia reach the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament.
After attracting transfer interest from European sides in the summer, it comes as no surprise to see more clubs line up ahead of the January window.
European giants including Atletico Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United are all thought to be interested, with suitors lining up to make their move next month.
The latest side to be linked with a move is five-time UEFA Champions League winners Barcelona, who are thought to be considering alternative right-back options.
Both Juranovic and Villereal’s Juan Foyth are believed to be alternatives to Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot, who looks set to sign a new contract at Old Trafford [Fichajes].
Following standout performances at the World Cup, this link may not come as too much of a surprise, with Celtic sitting in the ideal position for negotiations.
Whilst the Hoops are likely to demand a big price tag, and rightly so, there could be other alternative options Barcelona look to offer Ange Postecoglou’s side, alongside any fee.
If Barca’s interest does come to light, a bargaining chip that could be used in any deal may be young midfielder, Alex Collado.
Barcelona could look to use Celtic’s previous interest in Collado in Juranovic deal
The 23-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Parkhead in the summer as he went on the hunt for more regular game time.
But despite a good start, the Barcelona academy graduate has failed to get his season kick-started on his loan spell, playing just nine times for his temporary side.
Reports in Spain have suggested that Collado could return to his parent side, with Elche considering cutting their loan short in order to free up some from their wage bill [Relevo].
Should the midfielder return to the Camp Nou in the winter and Barcelona pursue an interest in Josip Juranovic, then it would be interesting to see if Collado was used as some sort of bargaining chip.
Celtic are certainly sitting in a good position when it comes to Juranovic’s future, with the Croatian right-back in no rush to depart Parkhead and his contract running until 2026.
However, having already signed a replacement in Alistair Johnston and interest from World Cup growing, it seems likely the Croatian could depart next month.
As mentioned, plenty of clubs will be lining up with offers and will need to meet Celtic’s valuation for the player.
Barcelona could look to beat the competition by taking an outside-of-the-box approach and attempting to use a make-weight like Alex Collado, who Ange Postecoglou has previously had an interest in.
The opportunity could arise in January, should all the pieces come together, and it would certainly be intriguing to see the response from Celtic’s point of view.
In other news, While the media hype up our rivals Celtic’s winter break may once again be the most effective.
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