Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has delivered his verdict on the transfer situation surrounding Celtic ace Josip Juranovic.
The lowdown: Instant impact
Signed from Legia Warsaw for £2.5m (Sky Sports), the Croatia right-back has been nothing short of sensational since arriving at Parkhead.
The 26-year-old was one of numerous new signings last summer as Ange Postecoglou built a squad to try and dethrone Rangers at the top of the Premiership, playing a major role whilst making 26 league appearances as the Bhoys reclaimed their crown as Scottish champions.
After a stellar campaign in Glasgow, Spanish giants Atletico Madrid are reportedly keen on acquiring Juranovic's services, a prospect that one pundit can foresee becoming a reality this summer...
The latest: Hutton on Juranovic
Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton has claimed that both Old Firm clubs would find offers of around £10m for their prized assets difficult to resist.
The BBC Sport contributor said of Juranovic and Celtic: “Ultimately I don’t think they’ll want to sell him. I think he’s one year into a five year contract. He’s had an excellent first year, he’s very versatile and he fits into the Ange Postecoglou way so ultimately they won’t want to sell him.
“But, if Atletico Madrid come in for you and they put £10million on the table, I think it’s a figure that a team like Rangers or Celtic can’t turn down.
“So it’s going to come down to the fee. What that’ll be I don’t know but he has had an outstanding season.”
The verdict: Not enough
Holding a market value of £6.3m and just 20% of the way into a five-year deal at Parkhead (Transfermarkt), Celtic could and should be demanding offers of at least their reported £15m asking price for the 20-cap Croatia international.
Furthermore, unlike in previous campaigns, the Hoops can now offer Champions League football to the likes of the man branded 'different class' by Celtic podcast host Ryan Clifford. That proposition that had been off the table in the past and perhaps lured star names away or prevented potential signings from materialising.
Capable of playing on either side as a full-back, the energetic Croatian won three duels, made 1.5 clearances and completed 1.3 key passes per game in the Scottish top-flight during 2021/22, showcasing his attacking and defensive acumen in both halves of the pitch (Sofascore).
Having already bolstered the squad with the permanent double swoop of Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers, along adding Alexandro Bernabei and Benjamin Siegrist to the Lennoxtown ranks, the Parkhead hierarchy should be doing everything in their power to further back Postecoglou. They must resist any temptation to cash in on Juranovic, who ended the 2021/22 season with the eighth-highest average Sofascore rating among the squad at 7.21.