‘Door’s not closed’: Director admits reported Celtic, West Brom target could be sold

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It is far from certain that reported Celtic and West Bromwich Albion target Sebastian Andersson will be staying at Union Berlin before the new Bundesliga season, sporting director Oliver Ruhnert has admitted to Kicker.

With a £4 million release clause in the striker’s contract expiring a fortnight ago, Union fans might have assumed that they could rest a little easier during the final six weeks or so of the transfer window.

But while the Bundesliga newbies are closer than ever to securing the signature of their Sweden international talisman for another 12 months, no one should be taking anything for granted just yet.

Kicker reported as recently as July that West Brom, Celtic, Newcastle United and Bournemouth are all interested in the 6ft 3ins Andersson, an old-school targetman who scored seven of his 12 Bundesliga goals last season with his head.

BZ claimed that Watford have also identified the penalty-box poacher as the man to fire them back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.

And a whole host of clubs north and south of the border have been handed a boost with Ruhnert refusing to rule out Andersson’s departure.

“No, as I said, the door is not closed for any player,” the director said when asked if it was certain that Andersson would stay.

“First we plan with the squad we have. We are relatively far on with our squad planning, and then let’s see what happens in the next two or three weeks.”

It remains to be seen whether Celtic are still in the race, given that Odsonne Edouard looks all-but certain at this point to stay at Parkhead unless a monstrous offer arrives from a Premier League club.

Albian Ajeti, the summer signing who joined on loan from West Ham, opened his Celtic account too in the 1-0 win against Dundee United at the weekend.