Celtic need a striker sooner rather than later, which has led to a whole heap of names being suggested.
Kieron Bowie is the most popular option among Celtic fans on our TalkingPoints platform, while other names like Mohamed Bamba and Callum Wilson have been linked.
The latest name to enter the limelight is Franko Kovacevic. Journalist Mark Hendry first reported the Hoops’ interest in the Croatian striker on his Substack column.
Talks are supposedly underway over a permanent deal for the forward, who may be the answer to the club’s prayers.
But who is Franko Kovacevic and what could he bring to Celtic Park? Let’s find out.
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How much would you pay for Franko Kovacevic?
Franko Kovacevic age, height, current club
Franko Kovacevic was born on 8 August 1999 in Koprivnica, Croatia, which makes him 26 years old at the time of writing.
He currently stands at 181cm tall, or six feet and one inch, which would make him one of the taller players in the squad.
Kovacevic currently plays in the Slovenian top flight for NK Celje, where he has been since the summer.
How to pronounce Franko Kovacevic’s name
The striker’s name is one of the easier to pronounce when spelt out phonetically.
Franko Kovacevic is said like this:
FRAN-koh ko-VAH-cheh-vich.
Franko Kovacevic style of play
On paper, Kovacevic sounds like the sort of player that would perfectly fit the mould of striker that Celtic need.
His best work comes off the ball as he looks to attack the space between centre-backs and break the lines rather than drop deep like Kelechi Iheanacho.
Kovacevic is more of a poacher in front of goal and prefers to stay central, which will keep him out of the way of wingers like Daizen Maeda and Sebastian Tounekti.
Celje would want a record fee for Franko Kovacevic
Celje may have only signed the 26-year-old in 2025, but his form has got plenty of teams on red alert already.
He has 25 goals from 28 games in all competitions, including 12 in 13 on the European stage.
While they’ll hope to keep him for their title challenge and European exploits, Celje president Valeri Kolotil has one eye on receiving a record transfer fee if a bid came in.
Who’s the worst striker you’ve seen at Celtic?
“Kovacevic is currently the best European striker,” he told 24ur.com in November 2025.
“Many people are talking about him, but I haven’t received an offer for him yet. I will be happy with the record compensation for Celje and Slovenia.”
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