Report: Ajax have their eyes on Celtic winger Liel Abada

By John McGinley

April 17, 2023

Ajax are closely monitoring Liel Abada’s situation at Celtic ahead of the summer transfer window, Sky Sports have reported this afternoon. [17/04 Transfer Centre, 16:35]

The broadcaster believes Ajax have been watching him this season and are “positioning themselves” to be in the market for his services later this year.

Clubs from Portugal and England are also said to be keen on the winger, who has impressed at Celtic but isn’t really nailing down a consistent week-to-week starting position under Ange Postecoglou.

He has made a healthy 41 appearances in all competitions this season but more than half of them have come from the bench, with Daizen Maeda and Jota both regularly ahead of him in the manager’s prime eleven.

Still just 21, his goal contributions have been strong regardless. He netted 15 in his debut campaign and has 12 this season. Only Kyogo Furuhashi has scored more for Celtic since Postecoglou’s arrival in Glasgow.

The youngster is currently injured after pulling out of Israel international duty last month but is expected to return before the end of the season.

The news of transfer interest is unlikely to surprise most Celtic fans who understand that the club’s brightest prospects now attract eyes from all over the world. The squad contains significant assets in that sense.

Abada’s contract doesn’t expire until 2026, so the Bhoys hold a strong negotiating card. It was previously reported by Sky Sports that the winger was one of the players in contract renewal talks with the club late last year alongside Giorgos Giakoumakis and Josip Juranovic, both of whom have now left and been replaced by the manager.

If Abada is indeed a potential exit this summer, hopefully, Celtic can command a strong fee to be reinvested back into Postecoglou’s squad for another tilt at the UEFA Champions League.

We know Ajax aren’t afraid of spending big on Scottish-based talent, having secured former Rangers defender Calvin Bassey for a large fee last year.

In other news, Matt O’Riley gets very rare perfect 10 rating from data-trackers after Celtic display