Qarabağ manager Qurban Qurbanov has made clear Camilo Durán’s move to Celtic is not yet official, but all signs now point towards the transfer going through.
Speaking on Wednesday at a press conference before Qarabağ’s match against Vestri, via the club’s YouTube channel, Qurbanov stopped short of confirming the deal as complete.
The Colombian forward has already been pictured in Celtic training gear in Portugal, with the club’s official announcement now expected to follow. However, the Qarabağ boss said the final details had not yet been completed.
Qurbanov said: “As for Durán, he has not left the building yet, so we cannot say officially that he has gone.”
He added: “A few hours ago, we received a message that everything was close to being completed, but it has not been finalised yet.”
That is the key line from Qarabağ’s side. The move is clearly at the final stage, but the selling club are not ready to call it official until the last parts of the deal are done.
Qurbanov also gave an honest assessment of what losing Durán means for Qarabağ. The 24-year-old was one of their main attacking players last season and impressed in Europe, with Celtic moving to bring him in after a strong campaign.
The Qarabağ manager said: “But he was one of our main players. He played in the Champions League and was one of our best players in Europe. He is talented and ambitious, so his departure could be a problem for us.”
He said: “But anyway, I want our team always to have a player like Durán, because he had the ability to play in several positions and he was very skilful.”
For Celtic, this now looks like a matter of waiting for final confirmation. Martin O’Neill had already said after the draw with Shelbourne that Durán was due to complete a medical and join the squad in Portugal. The player has since been seen at the training camp, wearing Celtic gear and working with the group.
Qurbanov’s comments do not cast doubt on the move. If anything, they show how close it now is. He is simply being careful not to confirm a transfer before the official process is complete.
Durán is set to become Celtic’s first signing of the summer window, giving O’Neill another option through the middle. The manager has already spoken about the need for more players, and the Colombian’s arrival should be the first step in a wider rebuild before the new season begins.
Qarabağ are preparing for life without him, Celtic already have him in Portugal, and the final announcement now feels like the last step.
