Who is Sead Haksabanovic? Celtic transfer target profiled as cut-price transfer fee ‘agreed’ for Rubin Kazan attacker

Celtic are reportedly close to finalising a permanent deal for wantaway Rubin Kazan attacker Sead Haksabanovic, with a cut-price transfer fee agreed between both parties.

Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou is keen on the versatile forward, who has been on loan at Djurgarden in Sweden amid Russia’s ongiong invasion of Ukraine.

Haksabanovic signed a five-year-deal with Kazan last year in a £5.4million deal but Russian Football News state the Scottish champions will pay less than that fee.

It comes after Rubin Kazan general director Rustem Saimanov revealed the club are in desperate need of a financial boost, with midfielder Oliver Abildgaard also looking for a move elsehwere.

Speaking on Wednesday, he said: “We are in talks with both of them - of course, they both want to leave but we aren’t letting them go for nothing because we want some money for them.

“We are waiting on bids. Our situation is extremely worrying. Our budget has halved. I regard myself as being in a crisis management role.

“Our players all arrive for free now and no club has given us a single penny for transfers. We have been robbed by FIFA and UEFA.

“Everyone says that we have a big budget but we also have big obligations. We have an academy which we spend millions od rubles on. Additionally, we have a women’’s team playing in the major leagues. All this eats up money.”

Celtic are gearing up for their first venture into the Champions League for five seasons and Postecoglou is eager to make sure his squad are ready to mix it with Europe’s elite clubs as they look to avoid an early group stage exit.

Here is everything you need to know about Haksabanovic; such as his playing style, how much Celtic are paying for his services and where he fits in the starting XI:

Who is Sead Haksabanovic and which country is he from?

Born in Hyltebruk, Sweden on May 4, 1999, Sead Haksabanovic is a Montengrin footballer that currently plays for Rubin Kazan in the Russian First League.

The 23-year-old, who played for Sweden at youth level, opted to represent the Montenegro national team internationally, where his family is from. He has featured 18 times, scoring once since debuting in a 4-1 FIFA World Cup qualifying win against Armenia in June 2017.

Haksabanovic has been with Rubin Kazan since May last year, following spells at Halmstads BK, West Ham United, Malaga and IFK Norrkoping.

Since making his professional debut for Halmstads BK in the Swedish Allsvenskan as a late substitute in April 2015 - becoming the youngest-ever player to make his professional debut for the club - the versatile attacker spent a week on trial with Manchester United.

He was previously scouted by Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Manchester City before earning a permanent five-year contract with West Ham in the summer of 2017 in a transfer worth £2.7million.

He joined La Liga 2 side Malaga on an initial season-long loan, but was recalled after six months due to a lack of game time and was sent back to Sweden in January 2019.

Following a successfull loan spell with IFK Norrkoping, Haksabanovic completed a permanent move the following summer without making a first-team apperance in the English Premier League.

He would later departing the club for Russia as part of their ‘biggest sale ever’.

His contract with Rubin Kazan was suspended earlier this summer according to FIFA regulations related to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. It allowed foreign players in Russia to join clubs outside of the country until June 2022.

As a result, he opted to return to Sweden for a third time in March, penning a short-term loan deal with Djurgarden.

What position does he play?

He is predominantly a left-sided winger but is capable of playing on either flank.

Haksabanovic has also featured in a more central role, but is more comfortable on the wing. Naturally right-footed, he’s technically gifted and enjoyed cutting in from the left.

A former team-mate of Carl Starfelt, he is said to be strong in the air and regarded as a set-piece specialist, he has scored a number of goals over his career to date.

Is Haksabanovic close to joining Celtic?

Haksabanovic is edging closer to a permanent switch to Parkhead after his former club Djurgarden accepted defeat in their ambitious pursuit to lure him back to Stockholm.

The player is believed to be keen on a move to Scotland as his representatives search for a club outside of Russia.

Rubin Kazan general director Rustem Saimanov has already expressed the club are willing to let him leave in this transfer window.

What transfer fee will they pay Rubin Kazan?

It’s understood that Rubin Kazan valued the player at around £6million earlier this summer. With his contract not due to expire until 2026, Celtic have reportedly agreed a cut-price transfer fee amid interest from other clubs in Europe.

According to Russian media, his parent club will sell Haksabanovic for less than the €6.5m (£5.4m) they paid for him last summer.

How much money will Sead Haksabanovic earn at Celtic?

The specifics of the wage that Haksabnovic will receive if he seals a move to Celtic is yet to be made official.

How does he fit into Celtic’s starting XI?

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou confirmed he is looking to identify “one or two” players to round off his squad with another versatile player featuring high on his wishlist and Haksabanovic appears to fit the bill.

His ability to play across a number of forward positions will give Postecoglou further tough decisions to make, with competition for places at an all-time high.

It is likely that Haksabanovic will face a battle to come straight into the starting eleven, but his arrival would help to drive standards even further in training with Jota, Liel Abada, James Forrest and Daizen Maeda also competing for a starting berth.

Who have Celtic signed and sold so far in the summer transfer window?

The following is Celtic transfer activity during the 22/23 summer transfer window so far:

Players signed

• Daizen Maeda - striker, from Yokohama F. Marinos (£1.38 million)
• Cameron Carter-Vickers - defender, from Tottenham Hotspur (£6.30 million)
• Benjamin Siegrist - goalkeeper, from Dundee United (free transfer)
• Jota - winger, from Benfica (£6.57 million)
• Alexandro Bernabei - defender, from Lanus (£3.92 million)
• Aaron Mooy - midfielder, from Shanghai Port (free transfer)
• Moritz Jenz - defender, from Lorient (loan deal)

Players sold

• Nir Bitton - midfielder, to Maccabi Tel Aviv (free transfer)
• Tom Rogic - midfielder, without club (released)
• Liam Scales - defender, to Aberdeen (loan)
• Vasilis Barkas - goalkeeper, to FC Utrecht (loan)
• Osaze Urhoghide - defender, to KV Oostende (loan)
• Ismaila Soro - midfielder, to FC Arouca (loan)
• Adam Montgomery - defender, to St Johnstone (loan)
• Kerr McInroy - midfielder, to Kilmarnock (free transfer)
• Ewan Henderson - midfielder, to Hibernian (free transfer)
• Karamoko Dembele - winger, to Stade Bestois (free transfer)
• Jonathan Afolabi - striker, to Bohemians (free transfer)
• Luca Connell - midfielder, to Barnsley (free transfer)
• Boli Bolingoli - defender, to KV Mechelen (unknown)
• Ross Doohan - goalkeeper, to Tranmere Rovers (unknown)

*All data supplied via Transfermarkt