Celtic’s Jozo Simunovic is being linked with a move away.
Lazio have identified Celtic star Jozo Simunovic as a potential replacement for defender Stefan de Vrij, according to Corriere dello Sport.
The Italian outlet claims that the Serie A side are interested in the Croatian centre-back who, according to The Record, is valued at around £8 million by Celtic.
Simunovic has had his fair share of injuries since joining the Hoops under Ronny Deila in 2015, but when fit he has always looked a very decent defender.
However, the 23-year-old’s form has been called into question over the past month or so and he, like all of the Hoops, was particularly poor in the 4-0 defeat at Hearts in December.
Brendan Rodgers has already signed an experienced centre-back in Marvin Compper this month, and Celtic fans don’t seem overly bothered about the prospect of losing Simunovic.
Selling Simunovic would leave Rodgers with three options in central defence – Kristoffer Ajer, Dedryck Boyata and Compper, though Nir Bitton has also looked decent there at times this season.
But surely it would be a big risk by Celtic to let him go. Compper hasn’t kicked a ball in Scotland as of yet, which means that the Croat remains as Rodgers’s best centre-half for now, so perhaps letting him leave is a gamble.
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