Premiership rival 'fully aware' of Celtic transfer interest in star as they seek to unlock 'maximum return'
Midfielder has been linked with a £4m Hoops move
Celtic’s SPFL Premiership rivals Hibs are reportedly ‘well aware’ of Hoops interest in Zambian international midfielder Miguel Chaiwa and will be looking for ‘maximum return’ for their asset.
The 22-year old has attracted transfer interest from across Europe, as well as from the champions - who’ve been linked with a £4m move. Hibs manager David Gray claims to have heard nothing about Celtic’s pursuit as he’s been fully focused on their Conference League qualifier against North Macedonia’s FK Shkendija. Chaiwa has been a consistent performer at Easter Road since his move from Swiss side BSC Young Boys last August.
Celtic are looking for reinforcements in the middle of the park with current maestro Arne Engels heavily linked with a move to English giants West Ham. The club are also set to lose wantaway Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate in the summer window. Paderborn central midfielder Mika Baur has arrived in Glasgow and is expected to complete his £7m move shortly, however Hoops boss Martin O’Neill wants extra cover in this area.
Hibs ‘well aware’ of Hoops interest in Chaiwa
According to Edinburgh Evening News: “Hibs are fully aware of Celtic’s interest. The Easter Road hierarchy have made it very clear that they will be seeking a maximum return for any of their top talent, with the January sale of Kieron Bowie in a deal worth up to £7 million already boosting coffers.”
The Hibees broke their incoming transfer record fee for striker Bowie when he left for Italian side Hellas Verona earlier this year and are looking to continue this transfer model of acquiring maximum profit on their assets. Midfielder Josh Mulligan has also been linked with a move to the Serie A.
It’s been a successful week for manager Gray, who followed up their 2-1 first leg win over Shkendija at Easter Road with a Premiership victory against Rangers at Ibrox by the same scoreline. With games coming thick and fast for Hibs in Europe and domestically, the gaffer claims transfer interest isn’t top of his priority list at the minute.
Gray on Chaiwa transfer interest
When asked if he’d heard anything about Hibs setting a minimum price tag for Chaiwa, Gray responded: “I haven't, no, and I spent the whole afternoon with the hierarchy on the plane on the way over. So I've never heard anything about that. Clearly my focus is fully on the events. As soon as that whistle went at Ibrox, you enjoy it for 10 minutes, 15 minutes. And the relief kicks in and then it's straight onto watching back leg one, preparing the players, getting them recovered as quick as we can for Thursday night. That's all my focus has been on and understandably so.
“While that window is open, if players are playing well, and some are what would be deemed assets in the squad, you have to be ready for that. We’re not naive. Young players who are performing well, playing at a very high level on the biggest stage in Europe, it certainly adds to that. But every single player has got a value. And until that is met, or the club decide it’s right for everybody involved, then the players are fully focused on playing.”