As it looks like Carl Starfelt is set to exit from Celtic, there are question marks over who else may be about to make a move away before the summer transfer window closes. One player, in particular, may have to act quickly if he is to secure more playing time with the Hoops or elsewhere.
Brendan Rodgers will have been casting a watchful eye over the squad of players he inherited and the new signings that have arrived this summer. Some like David Turnbull appear to have impressed the manager and staked a claim for a starting place.
Other players though, like Sead Haksabanovic, may be slipping down the pecking order. He arrived late in last season’s summer transfer window and signed a 5-year deal with the Hoops.
With his first season at Celtic behind him, Haksabanovic played a decent amount of football but was not a regular starter by any means. The majority of his appearances have come as a substitute, at times making a significant impact when coming on.
Postecoglou signing linked with Celtic exit already
He did get some game-time under Rodgers in pre-season matches. A start against Yokohama F Marinos, a second-half appearance against Gamba Osaka and coming on in the 70th minute against Wolves in Dublin. None of those was particularly notable in helping keep him ahead of other players and new signings in the competition for the starting spots.
It looks as though Haksabanovic has slipped further down that list, perhaps even out of contention for even a substitute appearance. There was no space for him on the bench for Saturday’s season opener. And perhaps more tellingly, he didn’t make an appearance at all in the victory over Atletico Bilbao in the final pre-season game.
There are even rumours doing the rounds of social media which suggest that Haksabanovic could be heading for the exit door this summer. It remains to be seen how accurate they are.