The top agent who brokered the deal to take Sead Haksabanovic to Celtic has revealed the challenges he faced to make the move happen but reckons it’s been a success after the Hoops landed the player for “low millions”.
Scouser Simon Conning, who is head Crown Football, was mandated to find a solution for the 23-year-old Montenegrin who was playing his football in Russia with Rubin Kazan and was looking to leave due to the conflict with neighbouring Ukraine.
Haksabanovic had gone to the Russian side from Swedish outfit IFK Norrkoping who raked in a club record £5.5 million for the player while the Parkhead side picked up him just year later for a fee reported in Russia to be just £1.75 million. He has emerged in recent weeks as a real key player for Ange Postecoglou and scored the winning goal against Ross County in the final Scottish Premiership match before the winter World Cup break.
Haksabanovic had a spell at West Ham United early in his career and was linked with a return to England as ex Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers was reportedly keen on taking him to Leicester City while Belgian side Anderlecht and Stade Reims in France were also linked.
But he pitched up in the east end of Glasgow to the delight of Celtic fans and Conning, speaking on Sky Sports World Cup breakfast show, explained: “We worked hard last summer, my colleague and I, on a boy called Sead Haksabanovic. It was a difficult deal because he was a Russian club, Rubin Kazan, which as you could imagine wasn’t easy in the current climate.
“We managed to get him out to Celtic for a low number of millions and he’s doing really well. He’s done well in the Champions League so far and we’re quite pleased with that work and I think Celtic fans will say they’re pleased with him as well.”
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