Tomas Cvancara: Celtic make ‘smart deal’ for striker as figures behind January transfer confirmed

Celtic have made a “smart deal” for Tomas Cvancara, one expert has declared ahead of the arrival of the Borussia Monchengladbach striker on loan at the Glasgow giants.

Progress has been frustratingly slow for Celtic in the January market, with Julian Araujo the only completed signing to date.

Martin O’Neill is about to land his first major deal since taking charge of the club, with Cvancara poised to arrive from the Bundesliga club on loan after a disappointing spell with Turkish side Antalyaspor in the first half of the season.

How much will Cvancara cost Celtic?

The deal that will bring Cvancara to Glasgow has been revealed as a low-risk option for Celtic, with Sky Sport Deutschland expert Florian Plettenberg confirming the figures behind what he describes as a “smart move”.

O’Neill’s side are set to cover the entire wages of the 25-year-old striker, which are thought to be worth in the region of €1 million until the end of the season. At Borussia, he earns €2m gross per year.

What is perhaps most interesting for Celtic is that there is a purchase clause in the contract worth €8m (£7m).

Is he worth it?

Cvancara currently has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of just €1.9m, but this has dropped dramatically over the course of the last year, during which he has experienced a tough run of form.

In particular, he managed to score only two goals in 13 appearances in Turkey, while he netted only twice for Gladbach in the Bundesliga last season.

His peak ETV has climbed as high as €7.7m, which suggests that Celtic will have to get the absolute best out of him if he is to justify the agreement they have made with the Bundesliga side.

Still, the Glasgow outfit are under no obligation to go through with the deal unless they are totally happy with Cvancara’s form come the end of the season.

And Plettenberg signed off with a note of optimism for Celtic fans: “Cvancara is highly motivated and in top shape for his new chapter with The Hoops.”

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