Proposed Celtic trialist Bahlul Mustafazade has admitted he would “jump” at the chance to sign for the Scottish Champions.
The Azerbaijan international is said to have been invited for a summer trial upon his contract finishing at the end of the season. The defender, 21, has been ever present for Qabala this summer and has played in Europe for his side before.
When hearing of Celtic’s offer of a trial, Mustafazade told the Evening Times: “I don’t want to comment on the situation at the moment, but of course I would want to play for a club like Celtic. If a contract proposal happened then I would certainly jump at it.”
Despite his admission, the Azerbaijan international was quick to point out his main focus at this time is helping his current side get European qualification, saying: “I’m out of contract at the end of the season, but at the moment I am fighting to try and ensure Gabala get into Europe.”
OPINION
Neil Lennon is wasting no time on stamping his authority in to Celtic’s summer plans. With uncertainty surrounding players futures such as Dedryck Boyata, the Bhoys will definitely need defensive recruitments come the transfer window. With a tighter budget than most in the Champions League, Lennon needs to be smart and this could well turn out to be a smart piece of business if Mustafazade lives up to his potential. Finding a young player with European experience available for free would definitely please the Parkhead faithful. What could make this special is a player who has admitted his desire to play for Celtic which the fans will love and expect from anyone who comes through the front door during the transfer period. The only potential downside to this move would be the fact that the Champions League is a step up in competition to the Europa League and the defenders youthfulness and lack of experience could lead to fragility on Europe’s biggest stage.