Coveted by Celtic in 2013, Bundesliga striker Aron Johannsson eyes exit

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The USA striker has struggled badly with injuries at Werder Bremen but are his chances of moving to Celtic over?

Leigh Griffiths may be struggling for game time at Celtic this season thanks to relentless efficiency of Moussa Dembele but, if Neil Lennon had brought his top target to Glasgow in January 2014, the Scotland international may never have made the switch in the first place.

According to the Daily Record, Lennon was a regular visitor to AZ Alkmaar’s AFAS Stadium in Northern Holland, such was his admiration for their speedy, intuitive American striker Aron Johannsson.

The publication claimed that the former Celtic boss was mulling over whether to pay AZ’s £2.4 million asking price but, with the Dutch club’s manager Dick Advocaat determined to retain his prized asset at all costs, The Bhoys were fighting a losing battle.

A versatile, technically gifted striker with a clinical finish and superb movement, Johannsson netted 17 goals in 32 Eredivisie games in 2013/14, earning a place in Jurgen Klinsmann’s USA World Cup squad to boot, before netting nine in an injury hit second season in Holland.

These days, however, Johannsson’s career is at a crossroads. He swapped AZ for Werder Bremen in 2015 in a move that appeared an intelligent step up at the time but, after a hip injury ruined his debut Bundesliga campaign, he has been unable to force his way into the club’s plans.

According to ESPN, the 26-year-old is now considering an exit after making just 14 league appearances in two seasons with coach Alexander Nouri publically claiming that he has a tough task proving himself worthy of another chance.

In effect, Johannsson has become the Bundesliga’s forgotten man while the form of Claudio Pizarro last season at Bremen and Max Kruse this has not helped his cause.

Though with Dembele likely to spark a monumental bidding war in the summer and Griffiths unable to convince Rodgers to start him regularly, you wonder whether links with Celtic would re-emerge?

However, Johannsson appeared to be very much Lennon’s man. The interest cooled upon the Northern Irishman’s exit so it would be a major surprise if Celtic were back in the running in the summer – although his prolific scoring record suggests he’s far from a lost cause.