Haksabanovic deal ‘getting closer’

A few words from Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou in his post-match following the club’s 2-0 home win over Hearts spoke volumes about the likelihood of imminent arrivals in the coming days.

Montenegrin winger Saed Hakšabanovic is the latest player to be linked with the Scottish champions and, while Postecoglou is reluctant to discuss names – though did break with that in responding to his name being raised in a Sky interview by saying a deal was “getting closer”, he gave his strongest indication yet that Celtic will shortly be adding to the seven signings they have made across the summer. Asked if there was “a possibility of new faces this week” there was the hint of a smile as the 56-year-old replied: “Yeah, there is a possibility”. It might not appear revealing but the tone with which the answer was delivered seemed telling.

The Celtic manager conceded his team were not at their best as they extended their 100 per cent record in the cinch Premiership to a fourth game that has allowed them to move two points clear at the top of the table.

But against an obdurate opponent, he was content that they still did more than enough with an early goal from Kyogo Furuhashi and another in the final seconds from the Japanese striker’s replacement Giorgos Giakoumakis.

“It was OK,” he said of the display. “It wasn’t as freeflowing as I’d like a game of football to be. It was stopstart and not a lot of consistent tempo. The players maintained their discipline, didn’t get frustrated and in the end got a good win.”