The Celtic summer addition who is set to benefit most from Portugal trip

Add as preferred source on Google

Celtic winger Sead Haksabanovic could be one of the main benefactors of the Bhoys’ mid-season training trip to Portugal last week.

With the competitive action in the top flight of Scottish Football currently on pause, the Hoops haven’t had a fixture since early November.

However, that will soon come to an end when Ange Postecoglou’s side travels to Pittodrie this weekend to face off against Aberdeen.

Ahead of the busy winter fixture list getting underway, Postecoglou and his coaching staff took the squad out to Portugal on a short training camp.

The Hoops would have been hard at work, getting back up to speed in time for Saturday’s game and the fixtures to come in the next few weeks.

Of course, as is expected by the former Socceroos boss, all members of the squad would have been working extremely hard and maintaining high standards.

However, for some players, the trip to Portugal may have had a bigger impact as they look to get kick-started once again this weekend.

In my opinion, one of those players who would have been a big benefactor of the mini winter pre-season will have been Sead Haksabanovic.

Haksabanovic will be ready to kick on after week in Portugal.

Although the winger was signed from Rubin Kazan in the summer, it has taken some time for him to get up to speed and used to Postecoglou’s system.

Just before the winter break, we were starting to slowly see more of the Montenegrin international and the influence he could have at Parkhead.

In the Hoops last two home games, Haksabanovic has contributed to three goals, scoring twice against Dundee United and the winner against Ross County.

The 23-year-old looked to be getting up to speed with his teammates and showcasing the quality he possesses, which has left Celtic supporters excited for what is to come.

Earlier in the season, Ange Postecoglou also claimed that the best of Haksabanovic would come in the second half of the campaign.

So, the short trip to Portugal might have come at the ideal time for the attacker, who will have continued to build his fitness during a mini pre-season out in Europe.

After a strong end to the first half of the season, you would imagine Haksabanovic is raring to go, ahead of a crucial run of fixtures in December and January.

He could prove to be an extremely valuable player for Postecoglou in the coming months, with his quality on the ball and versatility in several areas.

It should be interesting to see if the winger comes back even stronger off the back of the month-long winter break during the World Cup.

But in my opinion, the trip over to Portugal will have done him the world of good, and it could help the Celtic manager’s prediction come true.

In other news, The Celtic star set for big opportunity to set down Pittodrie marker.