Celtic look set to fall out of the race to sign Serbian teenager Andrej Bacanin, with Swiss side FC Basel now closing in on a deal for the promising midfielder.
The 18-year-old, currently playing for FK Čukarički, has been attracting attention from across Europe after breaking into Serbia’s Under-19 setup and showing early signs of top-level potential. Celtic, Rangers, Ajax, and Udinese were all credited with interest in the youngster, who has impressed scouts with his technical ability and reading of the game.
Čukarički were initially holding out for a €3 million transfer fee, but reports suggest they were willing to compromise for €2.5 million, or roughly £2.17 million. However, it appears Celtic are set to miss out, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirming that FC Basel have agreed terms for Bacanin’s signature.
“FC Basel have agreed deal to sign Andrej Bačanin on €2.3m fee plus €700k add-ons from Cukaricki,” Romano posted on social media.
🚨🔴🔵 FC Basel have agreed deal to sign Andrej Bačanin on €2.3m fee plus €700k add-ons from Cukaricki. pic.twitter.com/wPRRJX0GOt
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 30, 2025
Celtic’s interest had reached the stage of contact being made, but with the Swiss outfit moving quickly and decisively, the Hoops now look unlikely to land the highly-rated teenager.
With the focus currently on finding senior attacking options, particularly out wide, it’s not a surprise to see Celtic drop out of the race. Still, losing out to a club like Basel for a top prospect may only add to frustrations over the pace and decisiveness of this summer’s transfer business.
