Sead Haksabanovic is starting to make his mark at Stoke City with the Celtic loanee showcasing his ‘unique set of qualities’ and his ‘excellent’ technical ability for the Championship outfit.
The former West Ham United youngster endured a sluggish start to life at the Potteries but, if his performance in last weekend’s 2-0 win at Middlesbrough is anything to go by, the Stoke supporters could be about to find out why Celtic were so keen to sign him in the first place back in 2022.
Sead Haksabanovic was outstanding in that shock triumph on Riverside, grabbing his second assist in Stoke colours and justifying Alex Neil’s faith after a spell out of the XI.
Celtic’s Sead Haksabanovic shines for Stoke
“The reason we brought Haks is that we want a different variety of wide players,” Neil, the one-time Hamilton Academical boss, tells the Stoke Sentinel. “Our wide players are all very different. And Haks brings a unique set of qualities that others don’t have.”
Haksabanovic, who joined Celtic in a £1.7 million deal from Russian outfit Rubin Kazan, made his first start in four games against Middlesbrough. What’s more, he had played only three minutes of Championship football combined against Sunderland, Leeds United and Leicester City.
Time will tell if that eye-catching display in the North East is a turing point in his Stoke career, or another false dawn for a man who has endured his fair share of those since retaining to the UK a year ago.
‘An unbelievable finisher’
“Technically, he’s excellent,” Neil adds. “He can come in and roll off that left-hand side onto his right foot, he can stand full-backs up and get at them. We haven’t seen it yet, but I see it every day in training.
“He’s an unbelievable finisher and he gets into good areas. He was very unfortunate at Middlesbrough not to score.
“I think he’s bided his time, and it was a good day to introduce him. He helped us get a great result. One hundred per cent, there’s a lot more to come from him.”
Haksabanovic could yet return to Celtic in 2024. But, if he does, he is likely to face more competition than ever for a place in Brendan Rodgers’ XI. Celtic, after all, signed three new wingers over the summer in Yang Hyun-Jun, Marco Tilio and Luis Palma.
Yang impressed in Wednesday’s nervy 2-1 win over St Mirren.
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