Celtic could be handed a boost by Premier League trio Wolves, Arsenal or Burnley as the Scottish champions look to lure Zan Vipotnik to Glasgow from Maribor this summer.
That is because, according to reports, FC Metz have identified the prolific Slovenia international as a replacement for their very own talismanic centre-forward.
Georges Mikautadze, to quote L’Equipe, ‘will be sold’ between now and September 1st. Mikautadze was both the Golden Boot winner and the Player of the Year in France’s second tier last season; form that caught the eye of scouts a-plenty from the other side of the Channel.
Both Wolves and Burnley are reportedly willing to meet Mikautadze’s £17 million asking price. Arsenal have taken an interest too; the Georgian goal-poacher potentially viewed at the Emirates as a more natural finisher than Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah.
Folarin Balogun may also be sold.
Either way, Celtic will be watching development’s surrounding Mikautadze closely. Especially if Metz are likely to emerge as serious candidates to sign Vipotnik from under Brendan Rodgers’ nose.
Celtic eyeing striker Zan Vipotnik
The £3.5 million-rated Vipotnik plundered 23 goals in 2022/23. Only one player in Europe – surprise, surprise Manchester City’s Erling Haaland – averaged a higher ‘XG per 90 minutes’.
Vipotnik’s agent, Sasa Zupan, has already confirmed that reports linking Celtic with his client are on the money too.
“Yes, there is interest from Celtic for a summer transfer,” Zupan, tells Football Scotland. “But there a lot of clubs who want to sign Zan when the window opens.”
Metz appear to be among them. So too a number of teams in the German first and second tiers.
Celtic can offer Champions League football and a shot at silverware. Metz, however, will be plying their trade in one of Europe’s top-five leagues last term; Mikautadze firing Les Grenats to promotion, via a second-place finish in Ligue 2
What happens next, regarding Vipotnik, will be down to the offers that come his way, and his personal ambitions.
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