Celtic eye cut price transfer solution as £4.4m playmaker could be snubbed for £2.6m alternative
Danish youth international is viewed as a strong candidate to replace in-demand duo Arne Engels and Benjamin Nygren if needed
Long-term Celtic target Jakob Breum has been told he can leave Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles this summer if the price is right after emerging back on the Scottish champions radar.
Hoops boss Martin O’Neill is looking to step up his recruitment drive this week and interest has been revived in the Danish wide man, whom they had multiple bids for turfed out by the Eredivisie club 12 months ago.
They were reportedly unwilling to meet Eagles’ £5m asking price for the player, but were ultimately successful in signing a new attacker when Sebastian Tounekti arrived from Swedish outfit Hammarby for £5.5m.
However, Celtic are in need of quality reinforcements ahead of the new season and it’s claimed their pursuit of 22-year-old Breum is alive again as he prepares to end the final 12 months of his contract.
Now the Dutch side’s technical director Marc van Hintum has hinted Go Ahead Eagles will not stand in Breum’s way should he decide to pursue a move elsewhere with a new deal for the Denmark Under-21 international unlikely to be agreed at this stage.
Speaking to Voetbal International, van Hintum said: “Jakob is only under contract for another year and does not want to sign an extension. That means he is allowed to leave if a good offer comes in, but so far that has not happened. There is nothing concrete happening regarding him yet.”
Celtic have other transfer targets lined up
In addition to Breum, who notched six goals and five assist in 28 league games last season, Celtic also have other transfer targets in mind with Bosnian playmaker Ivan Basic being tracked by the Glasgow giants’ scouting department.
The 24-year-old, who plays for FC Astana in Kazakhstan, is currently on World Cup duty with his country and has appeared in both of their group stage games against Canada and Switzerland.
According to Kazakh media outlet Sports 24, Celtic have joined Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt, Spanish club Elche and Bulgarian side Levski Sofia in the race for Basic’s signature, with his parent club demanding around £2.6m for the player.
That would offer a more cost-effective solution for Celtic who risk losing Arne Engels and Benjamin Nygren this summer, with fellow target Breum valued at over £4.4m by Go Ahead Eagles amid rumoured interest from Sunderland and Fulham too.
Celtic will be aware that it may become difficult to rival the English Premier League duo if it develops into a straight race for the midfielder’s signature, meaning they could shift their attention to 19-times capped international Basic, who made history as the first player from the Kazakhstan Premier League to feature at a World Cup.
Astana would be willing to sanction his departure if the right offer arrives, with manager Grigory Babyan confirming last week the club wouldn’t stand in the player’s way if an opportunity arose to further his career.
He said: “We have to be realistic and accept that Ivan’s participation at the World Cup is an important moment in his career and could open the way for him to move to a stronger European league.
“We understand this guy has a great career ahead of him. He can prove himself at this level and move on to a top league. We have no right to stand in his way.”