Signing last summer from Dinamo Zagreb, Josep Simunovic’s first season at Celtic could have gone a little better.
Not because he didn’t play well, but because he didn’t really get to play following a bad injury to his knee suffered towards the end of the January transfer window.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Torino’s director of sport Gianluca Petrachi said they came close to getting a deal done for the Croatian centre-back, but Celtic in the end refused their offer.
He said: “We wanted Simunovic, but there were risks which I was told about from the doctors after his medical. Problems with the cartilage in his knee. And Celtic refused to let him go on loan with view to buy at €4m, activated after his first appearance.”
Yet to play for the Scottish club this season, the 22-year-old might have a tough season ahead of him, as he doesn’t seem to be a part of Brendan Rodgers’ first-team plans.
Hopefully that knee gets strengthened this season, and a January move can be done for the youngster.
