Liel Abada could be in action for Atalanta United or Austin next month.
The MLS season started at the weekend with those clubs named in a report from Israeli website Sports 5 as being in talks to sign the Celtic winger.
Transferring to the MLS in March wouldn’t have been on Abada’s mind when he extended his Celtic contract in September but since then his career has encountered issues far from the norm.
Since the start of October the situation in Gaza has made his place at Celtic a challenge way outside anything else that Brendan Rodgers has had to deal with previously in his managerial career.
After returning from injury at the end of December Abada made six appearances for Celtic but after coming on as a substitute away to Hibs he hasn’t been involved in the last three matches.
With each missed fixture it seems more unlikely that the 22-year-old will play again for Celtic, offering an update on his situation Sport 5 reports:
Atlanta United and Austin FC have expressed interest in Liel Abeda. Both teams playing in the MLS are interested in adding Celtic’s Israeli, who told the team that he no longer wants to be included in the squad after being verbally attacked while walking down the street.
According to sources close to the player, both teams are having talks with his agent right now. Atlanta United are in good terms with Celtic and signed a striker from last year’s team, Giorgos Giakoumakis.
At Atlanta United, the world champion Theo Almeida, 22 years old, and Josh Cohen, a player for Maccabi Haifa, both play. The owner of Atlanta United, it should be noted, is Jewish.
Austin FC, which, like Atlanta, was left out of the play-offs last year, is one of the new teams in the league. Among others, Sebastian Drossi who came from Zenit St. Petersburg and Matt Hedges from Toronto FC play in it.
Abada is even interested in giving up a percentage of future sales that he is entitled to, according to the agreement with Celtic, in order to complete the move.
On March 21 Israel have a European Championship Play Off against Iceland with the winner facing another match five days later for a place in the European Championships in Germany.
Being upto match speed for the Iceland match seems to be Abada’s target which should bring some urgency to a move to the MLS.
A year ago Atlanta United paid a reported fee of 4m euros to sign Giorgos Giakoumakis but the striker was six years older with little prospect of a re-sale fee.
It is unlikely that Abada sees a move to the MLS as a long term solution but with a transfer window open until the start of April it appears to offer the perfect solution to his current circumstances.
Some tough negotiations seem likely but the bottom line for Rodgers is that he is unlikely to be able to select Abada as he tries to keep Celtic on course for a third successive SPFL Premiership title.
CLICK HERE for Nawrocki injury blow
CLICK HERE for Abada’s appearances this season.
