Former Stoke City and West Ham Star Available As Free Agent This Summer

Sead Haksabanovic, a former Stoke City and West Ham United winger, is poised to quit Scottish champions Celtic this summer following a disappointing loan spell at the Bet365 Stadium, reports say.

The Montenegrin international spent the entire 2023/24 season on loan with the Potters after falling out of favour at Parkhead under Brendan Rodgers. However, Haksabanovic’s tenure at Stoke City was disappointing, as he made only 22 appearances in all competitions and scored only one goal in a dismal season for the Championship team.

Swedish outlet Fotboll Direkt stated in April that the Potters had no plans to sign the 25-year-old on a permanent basis once his contract with Stoke-on-Trent expired. Haksabanovic still has three years left on his contract with the European giants, and the outlet reported that Celtic were hoping for a £2.2 million sum for the attacker.According to Fotboll Direkt, Celtic are still looking to sell Haksabanovic because head coach Brendan Rodgers sees no future for him in the team, and Swedish champions Malmo FF are close to completing a deal to bring him back to Sweden, where he played his best football as a youngster with Allsvenskan club Halmstads. It isIt is unknown what the winger’s price will be.

Haksabanovic joined the London Stadium in 2017 as a potential teenage attacker for a reported £2.7 million, but will most certainly return to Sweden for less than this amount seven years later, demonstrating his lack of growth.

Writer’s perspective
In English football, the forward never made an immediate impact. His three years with West Ham were dismal, with only two appearances for the East London club. Nonetheless, Stoke City gave him an opportunity three years after leaving the London Stadium, although Haksabanovic struggled even in a lesser tier than the Premier League.

Returning to Sweden makes a lot of sense. He has always thrived in the Allsvenskan, and Malmo is confident he is talented enough to play for the league champions. Perhaps last season was Haksabanovic’s last in England.