Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers have been handed a transfer boost with report from the Sunday Post revealing Jozo Simunovic will not be leaving the club for Lazio this month. Although it’s reported that the Italian giants are expected to reignite interest their interest in the centre-back at the end of the season.
Lazio were thought have on cards £4.5 million for the signing of the 23-year-old but their decision to delay the offer for until the summer transfer window will come as a huge boost for Celtic.
Celtic are currently without the service of Erik Sviatchenko who is currently on loan at Danish side FC Midtjylland and with Simunovic’s exit, this would have left Celtic lact of options at the heart of defence.
Since joining Celtic from Dinamo Zagreb back in the summer of 2015, Simunovic has gone on to register 69 appearances for Celtic, with 19 of those appearances coming in this season.
However, it is believed that the Serie A giants will make their move for him during the summer as a bid to replace Stefan de Vrij, who is widely speculated to leave the club at the end of the season, with a number of high-profile potential suitors interested in him.
Celtic have signed two new players this month in the form of centre-back Marvin Compper from RB Leipzig and winger Lewis Morgan from St Mirren, although the latter has been immediately loaned back to the Buddies for the remainder of the campaign.
Celtic returned to action for this first time this year on Saturday, when they cruised past Championship side Brechin City 5-0 in the Scottish Cup fourth round.
On Tuesday night, the Hoops travel to take on Partick Thistle in the Ladbroke Premiership, and now looks favourite to win the title with their 2-0 win at the Firhill Stadium which has placed them 11 points over second-placed Aberdeen at the top of the league standings.