---
title: "Celtic: Sale of Jozo Simunovic would involve payout to former club"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-sale-of-jozo-simunovic-would-involve-payout-to-former-club/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "SPFL News"
published: "2019-07-22T19:20:49Z"
modified: "2019-07-22T19:20:49Z"
---

# Celtic: Sale of Jozo Simunovic would involve payout to former club

**Celtic would have to make a significant payout to the former club of Jozo Simunovic if the defender is sold this summer.**

Croatian media outlet [Dnevno](https://www.dnevno.hr/sport/nogomet/mamic-je-to-dobro-ispregovarao-dinamo-bi-ovoga-ljeta-mogao-zaraditi-milijune-eura-na-neuobicajen-nacin-1340554/) reported that Dinamo Zagreb, [from whom the 24-year-old joined Celtic in 2015](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34105607), stand to earn around €1.5million (£1.35m) from the potential sale of Simunovic.

According to [Dnevno](https://www.dnevno.hr/sport/nogomet/mamic-je-to-dobro-ispregovarao-dinamo-bi-ovoga-ljeta-mogao-zaraditi-milijune-eura-na-neuobicajen-nacin-1340554/), there was a clause involved in the player’s transfer to Celtic which guarantees Dinamo Zagreb 20%-25% of the resale fee.

[The Sun](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/4502284/jozo-simunovic-lille-celtic-5m-transfer/) reported that Lille were preparing a bid in the region of £5m for the defender, whose Celtic contract has two years left to run, according to [Transfermarkt.co.uk](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jozo-simunovic/profil/spieler/131327).

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

Simunovic has played [112 games](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jozo-simunovic/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/131327) for Celtic in four seasons and scored [four goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jozo-simunovic/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/131327) for the Hoops. However, he has never truly managed to establish himself as a fixed presence in the side.

Of his 112 appearances, only [69 have been in the Scottish Premiership](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jozo-simunovic/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/131327), an average of just 17.25 per season, with [18 of those coming in 2018/19](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jozo-simunovic/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/131327) (via Transfermarkt).

The 24-year-old has had his share of injury troubles in his time at Celtic, with a [knee ligament injury ruling him out for nearly eight months](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37331430) in 2016 and [knee problems keeping him out for 16 matches last season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jozo-simunovic/verletzungen/spieler/131327).

Simunovic could face stern competition for regular game-time at Celtic in the 2019/20 season too, given that Neil Lennon also has Kristoffer Ajer and Christopher Jullien at centre-back.

The Norway defender played [28 Premiership matches](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kristoffer-ajer/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/328658) and [made 45 appearances in total](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kristoffer-ajer/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/328658) last season, while Jullien is likely to start regularly after his summer arrival from Toulouse for [£7m, the second-highest transfer fee that Celtic have ever paid out](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48770628).

Still, the Catch-22 is, if Simunovic was to leave, Lennon would have very little experienced specialist cover at centre-back for Ajer and Jullien.

Jack Hendry is the only other natural centre-half in the first-team squad and he only made [15 first-team appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jack-hendry/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/363223) last season, just [four of which were in the Premiership](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jack-hendry/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/363223).

Nir Bitton [could fill in at centre-back if required](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nir-bitton/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/129788) and [played there against Sarajevo in Champions League qualifying](https://www.skysports.com/football/celtic-vs-sarajevo/teams/409091), but he is primarily a defensive midfielder. Stephen Welsh could be called up from the reserve squad if needed, but he has [no experience at first-team level](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/stephen-welsh/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/403568).

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

Simunovic might not have been an automatic selection throughout his four years at Celtic so far, but he has shown himself to be a solid defender. Along with Eric Sviatchenko, he was part of a centre-back partnership that [helped to keep nine consecutive clean sheets](https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/14978451.brendan-rodgers-celtic-star-jozo-simunovic-is-going-nowhere/) in the 2016/17 campaign.

An injury or loss of form involving Ajer or Jullien would likely see Simunovic next in line to be called upon by Lennon. With Celtic not blessed for centre-back options right now, allowing the 24-year-old to leave would be very risky, and the obligation to pay off Dinamo Zagreb would be an additional blow.

***Celtic fans, would you like to see Simunovic staying at the club or can they afford to let him leave? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!***