Celtic’s pursuit of Serbian defender Veljko Milosavljevic is reportedly gathering pace, with the club stepping up efforts to land the highly-rated Red Star Belgrade youngster.
The Hoops have been tracking the centre-back for some time and are now looking to bring him to Glasgow as part of their summer recruitment push.
According to Mozzart Sport, Celtic have reactivated their interest in Milosavljevic after monitoring the young defender earlier in the window. The club is understood to have moved forward with a formal approach in recent weeks as they look to secure the teenager’s signature.
Red Star are believed to have knocked back an initial proposal in the region of £5.1million, holding out for a considerably higher fee. While they are reportedly valuing the player closer to £9million, Record Sport has claimed that figures close to the deal suggest a bid of around £6million could be enough to push the move over the line.
Milosavljevic, often referred to in Serbia as “the boy from Pozarevac,” has earned plaudits for his composed performances at the heart of Red Star’s defence. Despite being just 18, he’s already caught the eye with his maturity on the ball and strong positional sense.
The same Record Sport report notes that two unnamed Premier League clubs have also shown strong interest in the youngster, with both said to have sent scouts to assess him in recent months.
Celtic are believed to be pushing hard to get ahead of that competition and convince Milosavljevic and his camp that Parkhead is the right next step.
The Serbian youth international fits the club’s recruitment model, and with talks progressing, a resolution could come before the new season kicks off.
