Celtic January target Niko Sigur is available at a cut price after appearing at the World Cup for Canada.
The 22-year-old was named as the Canadians’ best player in their clash with Morocco by manager Jesse Marsch.
That was despite him not starting a game prior to the round-of-sixteen clash, which saw the Moroccans run out 3-0 winners.
Sigur was reportedly ‘one step away’ from joining Celtic in January, but several factors out of his control scuppered the deal.
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Wolves chase £2m-rated Niko Sigur
According to Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports, newly-relegated Championship side Wolves are keen on Sigur, who could be available for just £2.5 million.
He has made over 100 appearances for Hajduk Split in Croatia since breaking through as a teenager.
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Sigur can play as a right-back and as a midfielder, and has been used in an inverted role in the past. He started the aforementioned World Cup match as a midfielder.
A dual national between Canada and Croatia, Sigur is a Canada international after committing to the country of his birth in 2024.
The Hoops appeared to have beaten Wolves in the race to land him in January, but the sacking of Wilfried Nancy and Paul Tisdale came from nowhere, changing the club’s priorities.
Hajduk also sold fellow full-back Fran Karacic to Croatian rivals NK Osijek on loan with an option to buy, changing their stance on the sale of Sigur.
Nancy was likely familiar with Sigur from his time in North America, though it wasn’t clear whether O’Neill had put a hold on any deal
He is, of course, an international teammate of Alistair Johnston, who will surely be a decent agent if Celtic are to reignite a deal this summer.
✅ First pre-season friendly ticked off…
What did we make of the performance?
Chris Sutton: Celtic should do everything to prevent an Alistair Johnston exit
Speaking of Johnston, Chris Sutton fears that his tournament form will have put his Celtic future at risk.
He wrote in the Daily Record: “Alistair Johnston will have the eyes of the globe on him tomorrow night. That must be an uneasy feeling for Celtic fans.
“At a time when the punters are desperate for news on incomings, the notion of more attention being placed onto their star names such as Johnston must send shivers.
“Johnston is one that fascinates me when it comes to whether or not Celtic get a big offers in this window.
“In many ways, having been signed by Ange Postecoglou during the last World Cup, he’s served his time and should not be denied a chance to go if the right package is put onto the Parkhead table having been there for three-and-a-half years.
“But, at the same time, Johnston looks settled and, if I’m Celtic, I’d be doing absolutely everything to make sure he’s perfectly happy where he is and he goes nowhere.
“No harm to Anthony Ralston, Colby Donovan or even Julian Araujo, but none of them came close to giving the team what Johnston does during the Canadian’s injury absence last season.
“The difference when he came back for the final few games was obvious.”
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