Unhappy Celtic star Juninho is now on the shopping list of two foreign clubs.
Alerted by the little midfielder’s lack of first-team opportunities at Parkhead, Botafogo last night announced they are in negotiations to take him home to Brazil.
This follows a claim by Mexican outfit Red Sharks Veracruz that the 32-year-old would sign for them in the New Year – a story subsequently denied by his agent.
Bebeto de Freitas, president of Rio de Janeiro club Botafogo, has told fans the player is on his way.
De Freitas said: ‘We are in contact with Juninho and believe a deal to sign the player is very close.
‘We avoided relegation from the Brazilian Championship on the last day of the season and that cannot happen again.
‘We need new players to restore Botafogo to its rightful place at the top of Brazilian football and Juninho is a real possibility.’
Juninho has been unable to hold down a first-team place at Parkhead due to his indifferent form and the emergence of talented youngster Aiden McGeady.
Boss Martin O’Neill appears so far to have been unimpressed by the play of the former Middlesbrough ace.
The player’s agent has stressed that Juninho will leave Celtic if O’Neill does not give hima place in the side.
A return to Brazil and Rio – where he used to play for Vasco da Gama – – would suit,although doubts remain over how Botafogo would manage to pay his £40,000-a-week wages.
Source:Daily Record
