Glasgow Celtic target Rivaldo Coetzee available for selection if Ajax coach chooses to use him

Rivaldo Coetzee is available for selection this weekend if Ajax Cape Town coach Stanley Menzo chooses to use him‚ but captain Travis Graham remains sidelined in his on-going stand-off with the club.

Coetzee has been the subject of interest from Scottish Premier League side Glasgow Celtic and there had been suggestions in some quarters that he would be withdrawn from the squad to face Lamontville Golden Arrows in Ajax’s league opener on Saturday night.

But TimesLIVE understands that this is not the case and that the player will be available to Menzo if he chooses to use him.

With Roscoe Pietersen suspended for the first three games of this campaign‚ Menzo cannot do without Coetzee in his thin squad‚ despite the signing of centre-back Junaid Sait last week.

Coetzee’s fitness levels would be the only worry after a chaotic pre-season in which he missed the first four weeks over his unhappiness at the club’s stance with regards his wish to leave the team.

He subsequently issued an apology via video and it appears all has been forgiven‚ though he does still have hopes of leaving the club before the end of the transfer window.

Celtic are said to be mulling over a R12.75 million offer‚ though none has yet been forthcoming after they sent a scout to watch Coetzee in a friendly match last week.

Graham will definitely not feature against Golden Arrows as he continues to train with the club’s MultiChoice Diski Challenge side.

The club appears to have already found his replacement after reports emerged they had signed trialist Morne Nel from SuperSport United‚ though he is currently injured and Ajax have yet to make the news official.

Ajax’s hardline stance against their want-away players appears to have worked in the case of Coetzee‚ but could see them lose Graham for nothing when his contract expires at the end of the season.

- TimesLIVE