In a recent report, Fichajes stated that Barcelona have identified Celtic defender Josip Juranovic as a target. It has been claimed that the Catalan giants are hoping to bring the Croatia international to the Nou Camp next year.
Juranovic’s Consistent Season With Celtic So Far
Juranovic has caught the eye with his performances at Celtic Park during this campaign as he has produced a run of impressive displays on the right side of Celtic’s defence. The 27-year-old has done well to score one goal and pick up one assist in 15 appearances for his current employers this season across multiple competitions.
The Croat talent has been a reliable performer on the right flank and deserves credit for averaging 1.1 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 1.0 clearances, 1.0 shots and 1.6 key passes per game in the Scottish Premiership. He has even been tidy when distributing possession in the opponent’s half after completing 85.2% of his attempted passes in the Scottish top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Juranovic is under contract at the Glaswegian club until the summer of 2026. Thus, it would take a big-money offer for Barca to acquire his services this winter.
What Will Juranovic Bring To Barcelona?
Juranovic can be a solid presence when defending inside his half as he can time his challenges well to earn possession back for his team. He can even create some decent opportunities for his teammates to find the back of the net from the right flank and is a good striker of the ball as well.
Juranovic is primarily a right-back but can also fill in as a left-back or assume the duties of a right-sided wide player if asked to do so. The Croatia international doesn’t give away possession cheaply but is still unproven at the highest level.
Someone of Juranovic’s skillset will be a great addition to Barcelona‘s squad as he is good enough to earn a regular starting spot in Xavi‘s first team. He could even help the Catalan giants challenge for some major trophies over the next few seasons.
At 27, Juranovic is about to enter his prime and would make an instant impact at the Nou Camp if Barca can devise a way to snap him up next year. We can expect the Croat sensation to bring more quality to Xavi’s defence. Plus, he would serve as an upgrade over Sergino Dest, who has failed to prove his worth at the Catalan club in recent years.
