Union Berlin fullback Josip Juranovic says he was disappointed that Celtic didn’t fight harder to keep him during the January transfer window.

It is widely believed that the Croatian international wanted to leave the Hoops, after talks over a contract extension stalled, but the defender says that wasn’t the case:

“I had a really good relationship with the fans. I really loved it. It was a tough time to move away, but that’s life. I was a little bit sad Celtic didn’t try to keep me as a player there. But that is football. You can’t know your future.”

“I spoke with Ange one week before I moved. We always had an honest conversation. He is a good coach – a really good coach. My 18 months there was unbelievable. What can I say about Celtic? It’s one true love.”

Reading between the lines here, you get the feeling that Juranovic wouldn’t have made the £7.5m switch to Germany if he had been offered a lucrative new deal by Celtic.

The right-back also mentions in the interview that his departure was forced upon him following the arrival of Alistair Johnston. However, the only reason the Canadian was signed was due to the fact that Juranovic was angling for a transfer.

Teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and even Barcelona were mentioned as potential suitors but he ultimately moved to Berlin instead. It seems it wasn’t the dream move he was hoping for.