Dutch giants Ajax are thought to be in the race to sign Celtic forward Liel Abada, according to Sky Sports.
What’s the latest Celtic transfer news regarding Abada?
Abada’s future has been a hot topic of conversation at Parkhead in recent weeks. The 21-year-old has contributed to 19 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions this season under Ange Postecoglou, however, he has made just ten Scottish Premiership starts.
The right-winger, hailed as "really strong" by Postecoglou, has been out through injury in recent weeks, but reports have suggested he has turned down a new Celtic Park contract and wants to quit the club over the coming months. Abada has attracted interest from Premier League strugglers Southampton, but it looks as if a new side are also keen on his services.
Sky Sports shared an update on Twitter regarding Celtic and Abada in the last 48 hours. They stated that defending Eredivisie champions Ajax are ‘are positioning themselves to be in the hunt’ for the forward.
How much money could Celtic receive for Abada?
It looks as if a summer exit is firmly on the cards for Abada with contract talks stalling and sides showing interest, with Postecoglou saying this when asked about the player’s lack of starts last month.
“What do you reckon would happen to players who throw their toys out of the pram, mate? He’s a really ambitious guy who wants to be at a big football club. He wants to win things and be the best he can be. That’s exactly where he is at.
“All our players, particularly the younger ones who want to go on to further opportunities, maybe to a stronger league, do you think they are going to go to a club where they are guaranteed game time? No, so it’s no different here. We are a big club. Nothing is guaranteed.”
Abada is under contract until 2026, though, so if the price isn’t right, Celtic should feel under no pressure to sell. However, there has been speculation that the Hoops would allow him to depart for a fee of between £7m-£10m, a figure which would represent a healthy profit after signing the forward for £3.6m.
Southampton may not be willing to offer that sort of money, especially if they are relegated to the Championship over the coming weeks, however, you'd expect that Ajax could meet Celtic's valuation after spending €113m during the current campaign.
