Celtic will be looking to strengthen in a few positions this summer after seeing the team struggle in the second half of the 24/25 campaign and lose the Scottish Cup final at the hands of Aberdeen. A lot has been made about their need to strengthen up front and in midfield following the departure of Kyogo and injuries to Jota and Reo Hatate. But it looks like the champions are looking to bring in defensive reinforcements as well.
Left-back could be an area of need with both Greg Taylor and Jeffrey Schlupp potentially departing this summer. That does not mean that Celtic are overlooking the centre-back position either.
Auston Trusty has failed to establish himself as a starter since joining from Sheffield United last season. On the other hand, there has always been a belief amongst some that Liam Scales is not good enough to be in Celtic's starting XI on a consistent basis. Maik Nawrocki has done well but has never gotten enough chances. And it looks like the Hoops have gone out and made an offer for a centre-back, albeit a failed one.
As reported by Meridian Sport (via The Scottish Sun), an initial offer for Veljko Milosavljevic from Celtic has been rejected, with Red Star standing firm. The Serbian champions are looking for a €10 million fee. What the Hoops offered has not been disclosed yet.
Celtic submit offer for €10 million-rated defender
Milosavljevic is still just 17 years of age but he is already playing first-team football for Red Star. In fact, he has not lost a single game yet in the Serbian top flight, which goes to show that he is more than holding his own.
Standing at 6' 4", there is no doubt that Milosavljevic is a physical presence at the back. He is not a passive centre-back either and is happy to win the ball up the pitch. Perhaps what stands out most about him though is how comfortable he is on the ball, not afraid to take on a forward or even pull out a skill. That kind of confidence, this early in his senior career, is rare.
That being said, it would come as a surprise if Celtic do end up making an offer in the €10 million region for a player of his experience. That would be pretty close to the club's transfer record, which is the figure they shelled out to bring in Arne Engels, a full Belgian international, from FC Augsburg last summer.
One thing is clear though, Celtic could do with another option in the heart of defence. Nawrocki, Stephen Welsh and Gustaf Lagerbielke are centre-backs who could all potentially leave the club this summer on a permanent basis.