Estudiantes De La Plata are the latest club to be linked with Marcelo Saracchi as the wait for his Celtic return continues.
Martin O’Neill has confirmed that the club want to bring both Saracchi and Kelechi Iheanacho back to Glasgow.
A deal doesn’t appear to be close for either, however, despite both reportedly preferring a move to Celtic this summer.
Other clubs are keen to pounce on Saracchi, including Estudiantes – but they hold two key advantages.
🤦♂️ Still no sign of an agreement for either of these two Celtic favourites to stay…
The season ended on May 23rd 🗓️
Amid Marcelo Saracchi links, Estudiantes remain under transfer ban
Argentine journalist Augusto Cesar has claimed that Estudiantes are closely monitoring Saracchi and considering a deal to sign him.
However, if they are to do this, they will need to resolve an ongoing dispute with Inter Miami.
READ MORE: Qarabag boss makes admission on ‘outstanding’ Camilo Duran’s Celtic move
Last season, club president Juan Sebastian Veron orchestrated a massive $120 million mixed-capital investment with American billionaire Foster Gillett.
This led to mega-money deals for the club to sign Cristian Medina from Boca Juniors and Facundo Farias from Inter Miami.
However, the investment completely collapsed, leaving Estudiantes with huge outstanding payments that they were unable to make. Sound familiar?
As a result, the club were slapped with a conditional three-window ban on registering new players, which will only be lifted if they end their dispute with Inter Miami.
This means that, even if they reach an agreement to sign Saracchi from Boca, they cannot register him until their ban is lifted.
Also in Celtic’s favour is the fact that Saracchi reportedly sees a return to Europe as a priority, and is not presently entertaining offers from Argentine clubs.
Name your figure to bring Saracchi to Celtic…
Martin O’Neill’s latest update on Marcelo Saracchi
Speaking after his side were in pre-season action this week, O’Neill confirmed that conversations were ongoing with Saracchi’s agent.
He said: “I’d like to take him back if it’s at all possible because if anything, I jokingly said I would give him a 25-year contract for making the goal (against Hearts).
“We have had conversations with his agent at this minute, so we’ll see where that goes.”
He made 27 appearances on loan in Glasgow last season.
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