Slovenian Ace Opens Up On Key Reason Why £5m January Switch To Celtic Failed

Slovenian Ace Opens Up On Key Reason Why £5m January Switch To Celtic Failed

Sporting Lisbon striker Andraz Sporar says that he was never likely to join Celtic during the January transfer window.

The Slovenian international was at Slovan Bratislava when he received interest from both Sporting and Celtic. However, a promise to the Portuguese club’s Sporting Director Hugo Viana meant a move to Parkhead was never on the cards:

“I gave Hugo Viana my word I would sign for Sporting. I had other offers – most noticeably from Celtic. I kept in touch with Celtic all the way through January and my agent also spoke to other clubs too.”

“Regarding Celtic, I talked to them and explained I had promised Sporting I would sign for them and they ended their interest. I wanted to sign from Sporting from the start and I was delighted when they closed the transfer.”

Sporar joined Sporting for £5m in January and he has since gone on to score three goals in his first nine appearances for his new club.

Celtic moved on to sign a younger striker in Patryk Klimala from Jagiellonia Bialystok instead, but the real beneficiary was Leigh Griffiths who was given a more prominent role in a front two alongside Odsonne Edouard.

If Sporar had arrived, it’s likely that the 26-year-old would have taken up the Scottish international’s position in the side. As it was, the Celtic star went on to score seven goals in ten games after the winter break.