Sources close to the player- Israeli site gives detailed Abada update
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Rangers - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - September 3, 2022 Celtic's Liel Abada celebrates scoring their first goal with Matthew O'Riley Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine
Atlanta United and Austin FC are reported to be in talks to sign Liel Abada.
The winger has been missing from the Celtic squad for the last three matches despite making six appearances after returning from injury at the end of December.
Brendan Rodgers has discussed the issues that the Israeli winger has with a visible element of the Celtic support flying the flag of Palestine.
It seems highly unlikely that Abada will play again for Celtic with the main issue being over whether he moves out on loan or on a permanent basis.
Israeli website Sport 5 reports:
Atlanta United and Austin FC have expressed interest in Liel Abeda. Both teams playing in the MLS are interested in adding Celtic’s Israeli, who told the team that he no longer wants to be included in the squad after being verbally attacked while walking down the street.
According to sources close to the player, both teams are having talks with his agent right now. Atlanta United are in good terms with Celtic and signed a striker from last year’s team, Giorgos Giakoumakis.
At Atlanta United, the world champion Theo Almeida, 22 years old, and Josh Cohen, a player for Maccabi Haifa, both play. The owner of Atlanta United, it should be noted, is Jewish.
Austin FC, which, like Atlanta, was left out of the play-offs last year, is one of the new teams in the league. Among others, Sebastian Drossi who came from Zenit St. Petersburg and Matt Hedges from Toronto FC play in it.
Abada is even interested in giving up a percentage of future sales that he is entitled to, according to the agreement with Celtic, in order to complete the move.
Next month Israel face Iceland in a European Championship play-off with the winner of that match facing Bosnia Herzegovina or Ukraine for a place in Germany.
A year ago Celtic could have been looking at a fee of £10-15m for Abada but in the current circumstances the fee is likely to be much lower with the hoops probably looking for a substantial sell on fee in any move.