Celtic plot move to sign Preston North End star who was banned for 9 games this season | OneFootball

Controversial striker Milutin Osmajic is attracting interest from north of the border

Preston North End may have a fresh transfer concern ahead of them prior to the January window opening, with striker Milutin Osmajić attracting interest from Scottish Premiership champions Celtic.

The Lilywhites dropped out of the Championship's top six places for the first time since mid-October earlier this week after they were defeated 2-1 away at Wrexham, and their recent record of just two victories from their last 10 matches could signal the need for fresh faces to join Paul Heckingbottom's squad.

Their fire-power in recent weeks has been hampered by the absence of the aforementioned Osmajić, who has served a nine-match ban after an allegation of racial abuse against Burnley's Hannibal Mejbri was found to be 'proven', but the Montenegro international was still absent for what was expected to be his comeback match in North Wales on Monday, owing to a hamstring injury.

Celtic eyeing up Preston North End striker Milutin Osmajić

It was a disappointing blow for PNE fans to have to deal with, especially as they looked rather toothless up top against Phil Parkinson's side, but there is now a chance that they will not see much more of Osmajić at all.

That is because according to The Celtic Way, there is interest from Scottish giants Celtic in the forward's services, although there is no information to suggest that any sort of deal is imminent between the two clubs for the 26-year-old.

The Hoops are struggling under new manager Wilfried Nancy since his arrival from Columbus Crew, whose seven matches in charge has seen only two wins and a staggering five defeats already, and the Frenchman is in desperate need of new bodies to help turn their season around.

Osmajić is one player in particular who has been targeted to do that at the top end of the pitch, but he has not played a minute of football since early November, when he signed off prior to his nine-match suspension with a goal in a 2-1 win over Swansea City for PNE at Deepdale, which took his league tally to four goals in 11 appearances this season.

Preston North End may have big Milutin Osmajić decision to make due to contract issue

With PNE also set to lose teenage loanee Harrison Armstrong back to Everton when the transfer window opens, Paul Heckingbottom may have a double headache if Osmajić's head is turned from the interest in Glasgow.

Osmajić's goalscoring record since he signed for North End from Cadiz in 2023 in a €2.5 million (£2.15 million) deal hasn't blown anyone away - he didn't hit double figures in the Championship in either of the previous two seasons, with 17 goals in 70 matches, but he offers a powerful presence at the top end of the pitch, which is what North End have been lacking in recent weeks in his absence.

Capped 32 times for Montenegro, Osmajić also has a lot of international experience too, and should Celtic's interest be firmed up into something more concrete, their regular European football could be rather enticing as opposed to playing Championship football.

The concern of course though is that Osmajić has had to deal with two bans spanning a total of 17 matches in the last two seasons, with his first one coming courtesy of a bite on then-Blackburn Rovers defender Owen Beck in September 2024, so he can be seen as a controversial character.

With just 18 months left on his contract though, PNE are in a position where they may have to cash in whilst there is a level of interest in the striker if no fresh terms being signed is forthcoming - though it may be a reluctant sale given the lack of strength in the forward department that Heckingbottom has.