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da fazobetai： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
18-year-old Strahinja Pavlovic has admitted that he’s “flattered” by Celtic’s interest, after Neil Lennon personally scouted him.
What’s the story?
Lennon watched the Serbian during his Partizan Belgrade side’s 1-0 win against Connah’s Quay Nomads last week in Europa Leauge qualifying. The Celts boss would’ve been impressed with what he saw as the central defender strolled to a clean sheet.
The scouting trip was far from a secret and now the 18-year-old has had his say on the interest from the Premiership champions, saying: “I was flattered when I heard about Celtic watching me in Wales. But for me, I have to only concentrate on my immediate future and that’s at Partizan.”
A £4.5m figure is being touted by The Daily Record for the 6 foot 4 centre-back, so if the Bhoys were to bring him to Parkhead it wouldn’t be cheap. This figure came amid links to Juventus earlier in the window, although those rumours have since cooled.
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Encouraging signs
Despite previously admitting Juventus would be a “dream” move, along with Real Madrid and Manchester United, Celtic should be encouraged by the teenager’s comments.
Even though he’d love to play for the Old Lady, he did concede that it wouldn’t be easy to get a game there, as a potential move would seem him tasked with competing with the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci at the Serie A champions for game time.
It’s not particularly common for a player to entertain the mention of another side’s interest, yet to name the Bhoys specifically, and not rule them out, is definitely a sign that he could be persuaded to play his football in the green and white hoops.
With Kristoffer Ajer and, more obviously, Virgil van Dijk showing the way for developing centre-backs at Parkhead, the club can point to those two to show potential new arrivals that there is room to grow at Celtic.
With the youngster’s comments and the recent successes of European defenders thriving at the club, Lennon will be hopeful he can convince Pavlovic to move to Parkhead over some of Europe’s elite sides.
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