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Torino to prepare raid on Celtic for defender
TORINO are preparing to step up their second attempt to land Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic after transfer-listing centre-half Cesare Bovo.
Torino are keen to sign Jozo Simunovic
The Serie A side narrowly missed out on landing the Croatian on transfer deadline day after they expressed doubts about his fitness and tried to adjust the deal to become a loan move instead.
Simunovic insisted later he was fully fit and the deal only collapsed because Torino changed their initial agreement with Celtic.
But the big-spending Turin side have pledged to return for the 22-year-old in January. And they have paved the way for it by agreeing to sell Bovo to struggling Pescara, who are involved in a Serie A relegation battle.
We told Celtic we were still willing to buy him, but only after we put him through medical tests in Turin
Torino, who currently have England keeper Joe Hart in their line-up, have pledged to spend big in the next transfer window. And they have targeted Simunovic, who is a major part of Brendan Rodgers’ success story at Parkhead.
However, Celtic are likely to demand considerably more than the £3million they initially wanted for him in August.
And the Italians will have to smooth over relations with the Scottish champions.
Torino sporting director Gianluca Petrachi said after the collapse of the move: “Last season he suffered a cartilage injury. We knew about it.
Joe Hart was loaned out by Manchester City last summer
“We told Celtic we were still willing to buy him, but only after we put him through medical tests in Turin.
“Our staff concluded the transfer would be too risky for now. That made us cautious so I asked for a loan on the understanding he’d return to Celtic if he did not play due to the injury.
“But Celtic did not want to listen to this and that’s why the deal was off.
“The player himself was mortified. He didn’t fail our tests, it’s just the staff had doubts.”