According to the latest reports from the Daily Mail as cited by Daily Record, Celtic are interested in signing Austrian winger Husein Balic after being impressed with his eye-catching performances in Under-21 Euro championships in Italy.
The winger is being rated at £700,000, and he still has one year of contract left with Austrian side SKN St. Pölten. Reports add that a host of English clubs are also chasing Balic’s signature.
Why could Celtic be after wingers?
A lot will be expected out of Maryan Shved in the upcoming season, and he will look to make the wide spot his own after he was signed in January. Apart from that, the club has James Forrest, Scott Sinclair and Michael Johnston who can play in the wide areas. Balic is a left winger, so he is likely to compete for places with the likes of Sinclair and Johnston. The club lost the services of Oliver Burke and Timothy Weah from last season who joined the club only on loan.
Sinclair might have had an impressive goalscoring campaign last season, but one would agree that his career has been on a downward trajectory. Moreover, he is in the final year of his contract and is attracting interest from English clubs as well. Someone like Balic can be a long term replacement for Sinclair in that position as he is still just 22.
What to expect from Balic?
The winger made 34 appearances for the Austrian top flight side last season and contributed with eight goals and five assists. He further enhanced his reputation after a good showing for the national team at the u-21 level. Balic’s stand out attribute is his pace, dribbling skills and ability to carry the ball forward. He also showcases impressive strength on the ball, which is often necessary to thrive in the Scottish Premiership.
It is good to see Celtic exploring the Austrian market as there are some talented players there. The Hoops last season came across RB Salzburg in the Europa League group stages who won the Austrian top division, and the Bhoys were beaten handsomely on both the occasions by them. Balic’s side St. Polten finished sixth in the league.
Balic is unlikely to become a first-team options straightaway, and he might need some time to establish himself in the Premiership. The player seems to have the raw ingredients to be successful at this level, and if he manages to adapt his game, then he can turn out to be a gem of a signing for Lennon.
