Adrian Grbic has completed a £9 million move to Lorient to end any lingering speculation linking Celtic and Rangers with the so-called ‘new Juninho’.
Talk about unveiling your new signing in style.
Ligue 1 newcomers Lorient appear to have taken a leaf out of the Tom Cruise handbook with Grbic quite literally parachuting in to the Stade du Mostoir.
But who can blame the second-division champions from making a song and dance about their new £9 million striker?
With 17 goals for Clermont last season, Grbic is one of the hottest strikers in France at present, with his remarkable ability from a dead-ball drawing comparisons with former Lyon and Brazil hero Juninho.
The Austria U21 international had been linked with a move to Scotland, with TEAMtalk claiming that Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers were interested alongside Premier League duo Crystal Palace and Brighton.
But, for the next five years, Grbic will be striking fear into the heart of goalkeepers on the other side of the Channel instead.
“I am happy and proud to join Lorient today,” the one-time Stuttgart youngster tells the club’s official website before suggesting, for Celtic and Rangers, securing his signature was Mission Impossible.
“My wish was to stay in France. I am delighted to be part of this team today.
“The project and the coherence of the club, exposed in particular by the coach, the sports director, the general manager and the President with whom I have exchanged many times, I really liked.”
Celtic and Rangers are not the only clubs who have been left disappointed by Grbic’s sudden switch to Brittany.
Ligue 1 and Breton rivals Brest thought they had a deal all tied up – only for the in-demand striker to perform an eleventh hour U-turn and leave sporting director Gregory Lorenzi fuming (RMC).
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