Josip Juranovic exit from Celtic takes twist as interested club near alternative signing

Celtic star Josip Juranovic has been strongly linked with a move away from the Scottish champions in the January transfer window.

The right-back caught the attention during the World Cup as part of the Croatia side which finished third at the tournament and impressed in the quarter-final win over Brazil when he helped stifle Neymar. It led to reported interest from clubs in England, Spain and Italy.

Monza were one of the clubs touted with a £7million move for Juranovic, the Serie A club having won promotion to the Italian top-flight last season, backed by Silvio Berlusconi. However, it appears their attention has turned elsewhere. Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reports an agreement is in place to sign Pol Lirola on loan from Marseille with an option to buy. The 25-year-old former Juventus and Fiorentina player has spent the first half of the season on loan at Spanish outfit Elche.

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou addressed further movement in the window on Tuesday, noting the club are in a position where they are not “forced into doing anything”.

He said: “For me, it would have been a lot trickier if guys had already left and we were having to bring guys in at the last minute, so for me it is just about concentrating now on the task at hand and dealing with what is before me.

“If people exit, then we have plans in place already that will counter that, but having brought in three players already we are in a position where we aren’t on tenterhooks about who is coming in or who is leaving."