Nadir Ciftci has reached an agreement with Celtic chiefs to sever all ties and end his contract 12 months in advance. The Turkish hitman, 26, moved to Parkhead from Dundee United in the summer of 2015. But he scored just four goals for the Hoops, before going on loan to clubs like Eskisehirspor, Pogon Szczecin, Plymouth Argyle and Motherwell.
With the likes of Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths vying for spots in the squad, it will be hard for the Turkish international to get adequate game time. His time with Celtic may have come to an end but the player must be on the lookout for a new club.
Here, we take a look at three clubs that could be the ideal destination for the striker.
Motherwell
Motherwell were only able to muster a 7th-place finish in the Scottish Premiership last season. They were one point behind Heart of Midlothian, who occupied the final playoff spot.
With the summer transfer window up and running, the club must find a replacement for Louis Moult. The player departed Motherwell to join Preston North End earlier in January and his absence was quite apparent.
Hence, the club could benefit by making a move for Ciftci. After all, he did spend a good amount of time on loan at Firhill, scoring 3 goals in 11 appearances. And a return could work well both ways.
Aston Villa
It is uncertain as to whether Lewis Grabban will continue at Aston Villa for the next season. The striker was on loan over the course of the last term but now, the player must return to his parent club Bournemouth. Hence, Villa could be in need of a new striker.
The Villans enjoyed a splendid campaign last season and they almost made it to the Premier League. The Villans lost 1-0 to Fulham in the playoff final but they must continue fighting for a promotion. Ciftci could be the one to lead the line for Villa and his presence could help them secure a spot in the English top-flight as well.
Dundee United
Ciftci must also consider going back to where it all began. He represented Dundee from 2013 to 2015, going on to make 68 appearances and score 25 goals. In fact, his spell with Dundee continues to be the most fruitful season he has ever had so far.
Since then, however, his fortunes have declined dramatically with loan spells at Eskisehirspor, Pogon Szczecin and Plymouth Argyle resulting in just four goals in 32 games.
A return to the club would be special for Ciftci and it could help him restart his career once again.
