Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are rivalling Brighton for the signature of Union Berlin’s Bundesliga newboy Sebastian Andersson.
Union Berlin captain Christopher Trimmel is begging star striker Sebastian Andersson to stay at the Bundesliga newcomers until the end of the season at least with Celtic one of a number of interested suitors, as reported by the Sunday Post.
A late-blooming 28-year-old, Andersson has been a revelation in his first ever season in Germany’s top tier. The Swedish international has found the net eight times in 16 games with Berlin’s perennial poor relations taking to life in the Bundesliga like a duck to water.
The 6ft 3ins target man, who has scored five headed goals for club and country in 2019/20 alone, is now courting attention from the likes of Celtic and Brighton and Hove Albion, according to reports from Bild.
But 11th-placed Union still have a long way to go before they can celebrate survival and Trimmel is under no illusions that they need to keep Andersson around if they are to avoid slipping into the relegation dogfight.
“Sebastian is a key player for us. He runs after balls very few strikers would chase. I have already told our manager to make sure Sebastian signs a new contract,” said the skipper of a striker who is due to become a free agent next summer.
“He is absolutely vital to us.”
In quotes reported by the Sunday Post, Andersson has made it clear that he would only consider leaving the German capital for a club where he would be guaranteed regular game-time.
Given that Celtic already have arguably the best striker in Scottish football in their ranks, the ever-improving Odsonne Edouard, it is tempting to wonder whether Andersson would be viewed as something of a Plan B thanks to his tendency to thrive on crosses and high balls.
Brighton, meanwhile, potentially see the giant Scandinavian as a long-term replacement for veteran Glenn Murray and a physical alternative to the diminutive livewires Aaron Connolly and Neal Maupay.
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