AIK have played down reports linking Erick Otieno with Scottish Premiership champions Celtic, with sporting director Henrik Jurelius telling Expressen that there is no concrete interest thus far.
With links to Hammarby flyer Mohanad Jeahze growing colder than a Glasgow winter, Ange Postecoglou and co appear to have turned their sights to another exciting, attack-minded left-back plying his trade in the Swedish Allsvenskan.
According to Fotbol Direkt, Celtic are keen on a 34-time Kenya international who caught the eye of Leicester City and even Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City a year ago.
But while Jurelius will not be surprised to see Otieno play his way onto the radar of more storied clubs, the sporting director insists that AIK are yet to receive any serious enquiries, from Celtic or elsewhere.
Will Celtic sign Erick Otieno?
“No,” was his one-word reaction when asked whether the 2021 Allsvenskan runners’ up had any bids on the table.
“We have some players who have done well and we expect there to be interest in these players during the transfer window.
“(Otieno) is a player who has delivered at a very high level. He has had high peaks during the year and it is a bit surprising that there is not more interest in Otieno.
“It’s always a tough decision (whether or not to sell). But we have to make that decision. It’s very difficult to speculate on a deal when you have no idea about the size or the bids.”
Celtic are reportedly prioritising a left-back, a right-winger and a ball-playing centre-half this summer, per The Athletic. Otieno’s arrival would allow Postecoglou to tick off one of the tasks on his summer to-do list, while providing some much-needed competition for Greg Taylor on the left-hand side of Celtic’s defence.
Taylor missed a substantial portion of last season through injury, with the right-footed Josip Juranovic forced to fill in on the opposite flank. Liam Scales, meanwhile, is facing an uncertain future with Aberdeen expressing an interest.
Goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist is another Celtic target, the former Dundee United goalkeeper lined up to succeed the departed Vasilis Barkas.
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