David Strelec puts himself in shop window amid Celtic interest as striker ‘irritable’ over failed January move

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Celtic wanted a striker back in January but have been relieved to have Daizen Maeda step up since.

Brendan Rodgers wanted a Kyogo replacement in the door after the Japanese hitman left for his ill-fated Rennes switch before the deadline in a £10million move.

Kelechi Iheanacho was an option while Louie Barry was subject of a Celtic bid and Mathias Kvistgaarden was always on the shortlist. Another who became a Celtic target was David Strelec of Slovan Bratislava.

The Slovakian, 23, was wanted at Parkhead but Slovan club chief Ivan KmotrIk warned the Hoops that his side would not be short-changed as they looked to get top dollar for their star man.

Celtic learned Strelec’s price tag before it looked like he would leave in February with some windows still open.

• READ MORE: £6m Celtic star admits he ‘wasn’t really engaged’ to join Rangers despite holding ‘talks’ before Parkhead move

David Strelec ‘angry’ over failed Celtic move

That didn’t happen and Strelec was left “irritated” by his lack of a move with Celtic one club he fancied a crack at before the window closed on February 3.

Now the attacker has admitted he was “angry” at the collapse of his possible departure. And according to publication SportNet, the striker “responded irritably” to the questions on transfer talk.

“Some things will make you angry, but you can’t control them,” Strelec said. “I don’t know if (foreign) clubs are interested in the match in Ružomberok.

“I have two international matches ahead of me and I want to focus on those.”

Strelec’s Slovan Bratislava stats keep striker in shop window

Strelec will be in the shop window, then, for the summer with the player clearly desperate to leave for a bigger club after having bids rejected.

Middlesbrough had a £5m offer kicked into touch and that would also have frustrated the player.

His stats this campaign have been very decent but he has clearly had a huffy few weeks. Strelec refused to celebrate a goal for his club after the deadline passed back in February and that had some questioning his commitment.

And manager Vladimir Weiss said: “I told Strelo: Strelo, you have to focus on Slovan.”