Celtic transfer exit door opens for Albian Ajeti as former club FC Basel target striker to replace Arthur Cabral
ALBIAN AJETI has emerged as a transfer target for FC Basel.
The Celtic striker is currently out with a hamstring injury, but could leave before Switzerland’s mid-February transfer deadline.
Ajeti has been on the fringes of the Hoops team since Ange Postecoglou’s arrival.
The Swiss forward has never been a regular since signing for £5million under former boss Neil Lennon in 2020.
And his old club Basel could now offer him an escape route as they look to replace Fiorentina-bound Arthur Cabral.
The Swiss outfit have drawn up a shortlist of targets and Ajeti features prominently.
The Celtic hitman had the best spell of his career there — scoring 43 goals in 96 games.
That record earned him an £8m switch to West Ham in 2019, before he moved north 12 months later. Ajeti has scored nine goals in 48 appearances, but he slipped further down the pecking order after the arrival of Daizen Maeda.
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Basel ace Cabral is expected to join Fiorentina as a replacement for Dusan Vlahovic.
Ajeti, who started his career at his hometown club, is viewed as a potential replacement.
He hasn’t played for Celts since suffering a severe hamstring injury against Real Betis in December.
And Postecoglou is unlikely to stand in his way should the Hoops get a suitable permanent or loan offer.
Meanwhile, Celtic striker Maeda came on as a sub as Japan beat China 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Saitama.
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Hoops playmaker Tom Rogic starred as Australia thumped Vietnam 4-0 in Melbourne. The midfielder scored and claimed an assist as the Socceroos shone, despite boss Graham Arnold being absent through Covid.
Rogic said: “We knew the significance of the game in terms of qualification. It was a good performance from the team in general.
“We maybe got a little bit sloppy in the second half. But overall, I think it’s a good day’s work and I was just happy to be back playing in Australia.
“It’s been a couple of years since I’ve seen family and friends and there were a few in the crowd.
“We’ve got a bit of work to do in terms of qualification, but we are on the right track now.”
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Stand-in Aussie boss Rene Meulensteen hailed Rogic as a “difference maker”.
He said: “There were a lot of outstanding performances but Tommy was certainly one of them.
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“He was an enormous driving force for us, he picked up the right positions for us to play through the lines.
“That’s what you want from players of that calibre. They are the difference makers.”
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