Report details development in potential Celtic senior player exit after seven-figure bid rejected
By Abigail Withey
FC Copenhagen have been handed a huge blow in their pursuit of Celtic defender Erik Sviantchenko, according to a report.
The Scottish Sun has revealed that the Danish outfit were hoping to submit a fresh bid for the 25-year-old but their pursuit ground to a halt after the club were knocked out of the Champions League by Qarabag on Wednesday.
The newspaper claims on their website that the likelihood of Copenhagen continuing with their efforts to sign the centre-back is low because the club have also been handed a big injury blow.
It is understood that the Denmark side will now have to turn their attention to signing a replacement forward after frontman Federico Santander suffered a nasty knee injury during their disappointing Champions League loss which could see him sidelined for six months.
This news comes soon after another report from the Scottish Sun which revealed that Copenhagen had offered £2.7 million for the defender.
The most recent report states that Celtic are holding out for a bid closer to £3.5 million for the Denmark international after the first seven-figure offer was turned down.
The defender is yet to feature in any of the club’s Premiership or League Cup matches so far this season due to injuries of his own.
Football Insider verdict
Celtic have definitely done the right thing by digging their heels when offered the lower bid from Copenhagen, but now it looks like a deal won’t be completed at all. The centre-back has been a great addition during his time at Celtic and has made 63 appearances for the Hoops since joining, but he looks to be slipping in Brendan Rodgers’ pecking order. While Sviatchenko has been out injured, the club look to have secured a new centre-back in the shape of South African defender Rivaldo Coetzee. Rodgers will now face a difficult decision as he faces keeping the Dane and hardly playing him or selling him for a lower fee than he values him at.
In other Celtic news, Chris Sutton has revealed that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Hoops sold the club’s 25-year-old player.
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