Rubin Kazan have accepted defeat in their bid to keep Celtic target Sead Haksabanovic.
As revealed by Record Sport , Parkhead chiefs are in the chase for the Montenegro international as Ange Postecoglou looks to boost his squad before the close of the transfer window. Haksabanovic left Kazan in March and, with the 23-year-old believed to have set his heart on a move to Glasgow, Rubin chiefs are resigned to an exit with an urgent need for finances also pushing the winger’s imminent departure.
The Russians understand they have no hope of recouping the £5.5 million they paid IFK Norrkoping just 15 months ago as Celtic and as many as four other interested European clubs are eyeing a cut-price deal. Rubin Kazan chief Rustem Saimanov says the former West Ham winger will have to go and is now just aiming for the best-possible deals for him and Danish star Oliver Abildgaard, who also wishes to quit.
He said: “Of course, they both want to leave. We are in talks with them. But we aren’t letting them go for nothing because we want some money for them.
“Our situation is extremely worrying. Our budget has halved. I regard myself as being in a crisis management role.
“Our players all arrive for free now and no club has given us a single penny for transfers. We have been robbed by FIFA and UEFA.
“Everyone says that we have a big budget, but we also have big obligations. All this eats up money.
“Then we have obligations on loans that we don’t want, but you need to repay. We thought we could sell our best players for money which we didn’t get, the TV rights are down too. We budgeted for all this and got nothing.”
Haksabanovic was loaned to Djurgardens five months ago due to F IFA regulations regarding temporary contract suspensions after the conflict started in Ukraine.
The Swedes are keen to extend the player’s stay but, as sporting director Bosse Andersson confirmed last night to being aware of “interest” from Celtic, his club’s hopes are fading with Celtic the attacker’s preferred destination and others as well in the mix for his services.
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