da casino： As reported by Croatian outlet 100posto, Celtic could be making last minute moves to sign talented Dinamo Zagreb defender Filip Benkovic.
What’s the story?
da aviator aposta： It’s no secret Celtic are seeking out a centre-back in the closing stages of the transfer window, after they missed out signing Rivaldo Coetzee last week due to a failed medical. With time running out, it seems Celtic’s search could go down to the wire.
100posto say Dinamo Zagreb defender Benkovic could be leaving Croatia this summer with Celtic apparently sending representatives to negotiate his transfer to the Scottish champions.
Rated at £6.3m by Transfermarkt, he would cost the Hoops a pretty penny, potentially even breaking their incoming transfer record. Dinamo though may have a motivation to sell after they missed out on UEFA Europa League qualification last week.
Can Celtic pull off a dramatic last minute transfer coup?
Is this going to happen?
We have to be honest here, this one is up there with the more outlandish transfer rumours we’ve seen this summer. Celtic are a club who like to go into high-profile, multi-million pound negotiations well prepared and are the kind of club to splash the cash liberally with hours to go in a transfer window.
There’s also the fact that the Hoops were rebuffed in their advances for the defender in January, with The Sun reporting they were told Benkovic would cost a staggering £17m. While situations change, it would be quite the turnaround if they suddenly managed to bring him to the club just seven months later.
Would he be a good signing?
Benkovic is regarded as one of the finest defensive prospects in Croatia and alongside Jozo Simunovic, who was signed from the same club, could build a formidable partnership in the Hoops’ defensive line.
Still just 20 years of age, he’s made over 50 appearances for the club and appears destined to find international caps too, representing his nation at U21 level.
It’s finding this kind of talent that Celtic have thrived on in recent seasons and if they could somehow get a last minute deal done it would go a long way to appeasing fans’ concerns that they short of personnel in the centre of defence.