Bosnian midfielder Basic, 24, has been heavily linked with the Parkhead club
Ivan Basic has been linked with Celtic(Image: Getty Images)
Celtic could miss out on World Cup star Ivan Basic after Eintracht Frankfurt entered the hunt for the Bosnian midfielder.
The FC Astana ace has been linked with a £2million switch to Parkhead after catching the eye of Hoops scouts, who have been monitoring his progress.
Basic’s club have already indicated they would be prepared to sanction a move if the right offer arrives, with the 24-year-old attracting growing interest following his exploits on the international stage.
But reports in Kazakhstan claim Bundesliga outfit Frankfurt have now made a formal enquiry and are considering stepping up their interest with an official bid.
Spanish side Elche are also said to be keeping tabs on the midfielder, who made history as the first player from the Kazakhstan Premier League to feature at a World Cup.
Astana boss Grigory Babayan admitted last week that the club would not stand in the player’s way if an opportunity arose to further his career.
He said: “We have to be realistic and accept that Ivan’s participation at the World Cup is an important moment in his career and could open the way for him to move to a stronger European league.
“We understand this guy has a great career ahead of him. He can prove himself at this level and move on to a top league. We have no right to stand in his way.”
Meanwhile reports on Sunday night claimed that Celtic had launched a £3.5m bid for Swedish defender Zinedin Smajlovic.
However, Record Sport understands those claims are wide of the mark and the 22-year-old is now said to be close to joining Olympiacos from Norwegian outfit Sandefjord.
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