Anthony Joseph update on Celtic striker deal

The striker was first linked with Celtic on June 19 in a report from David Friel in The Sun.

A few outlets picked up on the story this morning with Anthony Joseph first covering it at lunchtime.

At 3.19 pm this afternoon Joseph provided an update that negotiations are underway.

Duran certainly made his mark last season after joining Qarabag from Portuguese side Portimonense.

A total of 15 goals isn’t eye-catching but with five coming in the Champions League Duran certainly has something of interest.

CELTIC KEEN ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE STRIKER

Those goals came against Benfica, Ajax and two against Eintracht Frankfurt. Duran also scored in the Round of 16 Play Off against Newcastle although his side lost 9-3 on aggregate.

Duran has had an uneventful career but at the age of 24 it seems that everything has come together on the back of a move to Azerbaijan.

A fee of £2.5-3m seems like a snip compared to recent fees paid for strikers.

Odsonne Edouard cost £9m in 2018, Albian Ajeti £5m in 2020 and Adam Idah £8m in 2024.

Even strikers like Vakoun Bayo and Patryk Klimala were reported to be in the £3-4m range.

As things stand Callum Osmand, Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny are the only first team strikers at Celtic.

Kelechi Iheanacho appears to have been released with Junior Adamu and Tomas Cvancara returned to their loan clubs. Daizen Maeda is having a break after Japan exited the World Cup Finals.

Celtic play their first pre-season match on Tuesday away to Shelbourne. One week later they play Sporting Lisbon before home friendlies against Middlesbrough and AC Milan.

Martin O’Neill will be hoping to get some new signings in for those matches but it already looks like time is slipping away.

Those pre-season games look like being mainly for fitness. Putting together a new style of play will require a fuller first team squad.

It looks like interest in Duran is at an advanced stage  although there is clearly still work to be done to sign the Colombian striker.

CLICK HERE for Duran’s Transfermarkt profile.