Glaswegians with long memories may recall the name Adrian Grbic.
In the summer of 2020, when the name Kyogo Furuhashi would have elicited nothing more than a confused shrug from Celtic supporters, the Hoops and their Old Firm rivals Rangers were being linked with a move for a striker who had scored 17 goals in 26 games that previous season in the French second tier (TEAMtalk).
That was, of course, until Ligue 1 newcomers Lorient splashed out £9 million on the Austria international. A fee that Celtic and Rangers, even if they wanted to, would have struggled to match.
Two relatively barren years later, however, and Lorient certainly haven’t seen much of a return on their eye-watering investment. Links with clubs on both sides of the Scottish border – Crystal Palace and Brighton were reportedly keen too – feel like a long time ago now.
Six goals in 67 games
If four goals in 2020/21 was a disappointing return for the most expensive signing in Lorient’s 96-year history, then worse was still to come.
This season, Grbic has scored just twice in 32 games across all competitions. Even a loan move to the Eredivisie – a division which made Vincent Janssen look like a world-beater – hasn’t helped Grbic break free of his funk.
In fact, he has more red cards than goals in the yellow and black stripes of Vitesse Arnhem.
“When Terem Moffi arrived (at Lorient), I was told not to stress, that he would play on the wing,” says Grbic, laying the blame for his failed £9 million transfer squarely at the door of his parent club (GFFN).
“(Moffi) was a starter up top, and I realised that something was wrong. I could perform well in training and it changed absolutely nothing. I was left behind. They ruined my year. It’s the plain truth, and I don’t wish that on anyone.
“It will be very difficult to build a new base to work together. I hope that next season will be better, wherever that is. I want to get back in the limelight with my goals and I know what my qualities are.”
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The player who scored 17 goals in 2019/20 – catching the eye of Celtic, Rangers and a host of Premier League clubs before moving on for £9 million – is still in there somewhere.
Right now, however, that £9 million price-tag is starting to look like a millstone hanging around Grbic’s neck.
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