Former Stoke City and West Ham United winger Sead Haksabanovic is poised to depart from Scottish champions Celtic this summer following an unfruitful loan spell at the Bet365 Stadium. Reports indicate that the Montenegro international, who spent the entire 2023/24 season on loan with Stoke City, struggled to make a significant impact. During his time with the Potters, Haksabanovic managed only 22 appearances across all competitions and netted a single goal, contributing little in a season where the club grappled with relegation in the Championship. In April, Swedish outlet Fotboll Direkt revealed that Stoke City had decided against signing the 25-year-old permanently once his loan deal expired. Despite having three years left on his contract with Celtic, the Scottish club is seeking a fee of £2.2 million for the attacker.
Further reports from Fotboll Direkt suggest that Celtic is keen on offloading Haksabanovic as head coach Brendan Rodgers does not see him as part of the team’s future plans. Swedish champions Malmo FF are reportedly close to securing a deal to bring Haksabanovic back to Sweden, where he previously shone as a youngster with Allsvenskan club Halmstads. However, the exact transfer fee remains undisclosed. Haksabanovic originally moved to West Ham United in 2017 for a reported £2.7 million as a promising young talent, but his anticipated return to Sweden for a lesser fee seven years later highlights his lack of development over the years.