David Strelec breaks silence on failed move to Celtic back in January

Strelec was one of a handful of names linked with a late move to the Scottish champions during a frantic winter window, as Celtic scrambled to replace Kyogo Furuhashi following his surprise £10 million move to Rennes — a sale that came just days before Celtic’s crucial Champions League play-off with Bayern Munich.

Brendan Rodgers unlikely to have been happy at Kyogo’s transfer

Brendan Rodgers was unlikely to have been too happy at the of Kyogo’s departure, and the club hierarchy went into the market looking for a credible replacement. Among the names on the table was David Strelec, who had already caught the eye at Celtic Park earlier in the campaign when his Slovan Bratislava side were beaten 5-1 in the Champions League qualifiers.

Talks between the two clubs apparently did take place, but the Slovaks clearly sensed an opportunity, hiking the asking price up to a reported £9 million. With the clock ticking and the pressure mounting, Celtic backed away — a move that sparked frustration not just amongst the support, but also in Bratislava.

Now, with the dust settled and a new season on the horizon, Strelec, as reported in The Herald has admitted the breakdown of the transfer affected him deeply for a short time at least.

“I thought about the failed transfer for a while, I admit, about two weeks,” he revealed. “Then I got myself together. As it turned out, I got injured anyway after it. But in the end, everything turned out well and I’m glad I stayed.”

The striker eventually patched things up with Slovan — though not before he reportedly refused to play in the immediate aftermath of the collapsed deal. In the end, his response was to knuckle down. Strelec fired in 20 goals to help Slovan to another domestic title, delivering what he now calls his best season yet.

“It was my best season so far,” he said. “It started with the European Championships, after which I joined Slovan after a short break. I didn’t even have a long break, which actually helped me. I did really well for both Slovan and the national team.”

Despite the off-field drama, Strelec insists he’s in a good place now — and while he’s not closing the door on a move away, he’s fully focused on Slovan’s ambitions in Europe.

“We have achieved great success in recent years,” he added. “I definitely feel the expectations have risen here. I think people are now expecting at least the Europa League group stages, but it’s not that easy. But nothing is impossible. But of course, our aim is to play in the Champions League again.”

There’s no doubt that Strelec is a player Celtic have kept close tabs on — and his physical style, eye for goal and European experience would certainly suit Rodgers’ system. But with the Slovakian striker now reaffirming his commitment to Slovan, and with no official word, or otherwise, from Celtic on reigniting their interest, it looks like this one is back on ice.

Still, don’t be surprised if David Strelec’s name appears again in a future window. After all, once a Celtic target, always a Celtic target.

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