Haksabanovic left Celtic on Deadline Day to join Stoke City on a season-long loan. It was a move that made sense for all parties involved. The player certainly was not getting a lot of chances at Parkhead and did not seem to be particularly happy with his situation, judging from his social media activity before leaving.
On the other hand, Celtic needed to find Haksabanovic a new home after his controversial Instagram post. They were unable to secure a permanent transfer but a loan move ticks a lot of boxes as well.
Haksabanovic’s debut campaign with Celtic was certainly not a resounding success. Of course, it had its high points, like winning the Player of the Month last November. But then, he also spent most of his time sitting on the bench.
As a result, most Celtic fans might not agree with some of Haksabanovic’s recent comments. As reported by the Daily Record, he said on Stoke City’s YouTube channel:
"“I came from a club with one of the biggest fanbases in the world. If you can do it there, you can do it here as well.”"
Haksabanovic makes questionable Celtic claim
Most fans certainly would not consider Haksabanovic as a player who ‘did it’ at Celtic Park. Yes, he showed sparks of quality. But overall, he did not produce enough to warrant a place in the starting XI on a consistent basis.
At the end of the day, Haksabanovic has unquestionable talent. But Celtic just might not have been the right place for him. Hopefully, he can find his feet at Stoke City and end up earning himself a permanent transfer in the future.
For the time being, Celtic will be focused on the options they have available. Unfortunately, they have been severely limited at the start of this season due to constant injuries. Liel Abada is the latest to go down and might be out of action for around a month, a major blow for Rodgers’ team.