Peter Grant states he is in ‘absolutely no doubt’ Celtic would pay ‘£9m’ for Bundesliga hitman

It’s the midway stage of the January transfer window, and Celtic are still searching for that much-needed striker.

So many names are being linked to joining Celtic this month, and it has put the club in a spot of bother because of the manager situation.

Do the champions of Scotland pay big bucks for a number nine? Or do they look to bring in somebody for the short term because they know Martin O’Neill won’t be in charge next season?

Either way, the name of Andrej Ilic was put on the table for Peter Grant, and he is backing a possible move for the Union Berlin player.

Peter Grant backs Celtic to buy Andrej Ilic

It seems as though if Celtic want to buy Ilic from Union Berlin, then he would cost ‘£9 million.’

Speaking on Go Radio, Grant is in ‘no doubt’ that the Hoops would pay that sort of money for Ilic because of what the club could achieve at the end of it.

Paul Cooney: “Celtic are exploring a move for the Union Berlin striker Andrej Ilic. But he is £9 million. Would that be out of Celtic’s reach at the moment? I know they have paid more before.”

Grant: “Would they spend £9 million on a striker if it’s the right one? Yes, I am sure they would. I have absolutely no doubt they would.

“The bottom line is, you want to win the league. That’s for sure. You have to remember, if Celtic win the league, you have to do a qualifier – if you have a chance for players to come in, and Martin knows. He has been around the block many, many times.

“He knows what he needs to make Celtic successful. And that has to be a goalscorer. That has to be a priority.

“But this is a very, very difficult window unless you are willing to pay big bucks.”

Ilic’s career in numbers

The last time Celtic paid such a fee for a player, it was for Adam Idah, and he didn’t last very long in Glasgow and was sold in the summer.

Some feel Celtic shouldn’t have let Idah go, so you wouldn’t be surprised if there is a reluctance to put that sort of money on the table again.

Either way, Ilic is a player who has played in his home country of Serbia, as well as Latvia, Norway, France, and now Germany during his career so far. Could he add Scotland to that list?