Celtic had four representatives at the World Cup this time around, and all of them ended up making the knockout rounds, exceeding the expectations of most people. Daizen Maeda (Japan), Aaron Mooy (Australia) and Cameron Carter-Vickers (USA) would end up getting knocked out from the round of 16. But Josip Juranovic made it all the way to the semi-finals.
Juranovic is not just a part of the Croatian national team either. He has been a nailed on starter for them and put on some world-class performances along the way.
The one against Brazil will be a particular highlight for Juranovic throughout his career, as he kept Vinicius Jr quiet on the night and helped Croatia restrict the Selecao to just one goal in 120 minutes of action.
Of course, performances like those have caught the eye of fans and pundits alike. As reported by The Mail+, Gary Neville said about the Celtic full-back:
"‘He’s been absolutely outstanding.‘These good players we see, when they put those national team shirts on, they become a different entity altogether.‘It means something completely different.‘Juranovic is fantastic going forward. He epitomises the modern full-back.‘He’s bright, he’s lively. He’s not just serving the attack. He’s contributing to it.‘He’s been a real presence in this tournament down that right-hand side.’"
Neville makes outstanding claim about Celtic star
Neville will certainly know a thing or two about being an outstanding right-back, having been part of one of the greatest teams in football history, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.
Incidentally, Manchester United are being linked with a potential move for Juranovic. They are not the only ones though. Not even close.
The likes of Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Everton, Real Sociedad, Everton, Torino and several more clubs are rumoured to be keeping their eyes on Juranovic.
When it comes to Celtic, it seems almost inevitable that Juranovic will be on his way out of the club in the near future. Him leaving in January would not be ideal, with the club having three more trophies to play for. But then, the Croatian’s transfer value will be at its peak after the World Cup. So, the Hoops are certainly facing a bit of a dilemma.