As Celtic lurch from one defensive crisis to another, tonight we are asking if freed ex Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic could help bolster the Celtic back line and he
Simunovic was purchased from Croatian Champions, Dinamo Zagreb, in 2015 by the then manager, Ronny Deila, for an undisclosed fee. Just five months into his Celtic career he suffered knee ligament damage which kept him out the side of almost six months. It was an injury that plagued Simunovic’s Celtic career as he suffered recurring problems on his knee which kept him out the side for three more lengthy spells.
Simunovic eventually underwent knee surgery to try and solve the ongoing problem but Celtic eventually let the defender go after his contract expired last summer but was that a decision that may come back and haunt manager, Neil Lennon?
Celtic signed Shane Duffy on loan from Brighton to try and bring experience and muscle to the Celtic back line but the big Irish international has struggled to find any kind of form that persuaded the Parkhead board to part with a £2m loan fee for his services.
With Jozo seemingly over the worst of his injury problems and looking to get back into football, there has been a host of top clubs vying for the Croatian’s signature. Although moves to Rijeka and Trabzonspor fell through at the start of this season it looks like not only Bundesliga clubs Stuttgart and Augsburg are trying to tempt Simunovic to sign up but also English Premier League side Southampton are courting the Treble Treble defender according to Goal Germany.
Should Celtic take a chance on the Croatian and help him to a Craig Gordon style revival of his career or should they leave well alone considering his injury haunted past? Me, I think it would do no harm in investigating the possibility of bringing Simunovic back to Celtic Park as no doubt he will feel he has unfinished business at Parkhead.
It would seem like a risk free strategy as Celtic would not need to have any up front financial outlay but it is whether or not the management and board would take the long term risk of the defenders knee problems returning.
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