Stiliyan Petrov is one of the best footballers ever to come out of Bulgaria, and luckily for Celtic, the Parkhead club got him when he was at his best.
The Bulgarian midfielder was one of the most highly-rated midfielders ever to come out of the country and Celtic snapped up Petrov in 1999 for £4.5m.
Petrov then stayed at Celtic for six seasons where he helped the Bhoys dominate Scottish football winning the club’s first treble since the Jock Stein era in 2001, and reaching the 2003 UEFA Cup final.
However, what many people don’t know is that the Celtic legend was supposed to be joined at Celtic with one of his CSKA Sofia teammates.
And here, Petrov reveals exactly who that was as 67 Hail Hail looks into what happened to the mystery Bulgarian international footballer.
Photo by Tim De Waele/Getty ImagesBulgarian star Milen Petkov was supposed to join Celtic with Stiliyan Petrov
Bulgarian midfielder, Milen Petkov was meant to join Petrov at Celtic as the Hoops legend reveals how his deal to join the Glasgow giants transpired.
Petrov told the More Than a Name podcast, “There was two representatives from Celtic, the chairman of the club and the CEO of the club. So they said, you’re flying tomorrow.
I only pick up a pair of trousers, shirt, a blazer, and I went.
Podcaster: “So I’m guessing you’ve said, yeah, I’m interested. They’re not just saying, you’ve got to go.”
Petrov: “There’s not even a question. And they said, well, one of your teammates is coming with you. Milen Petkov, we played together.
“And he said that he’s coming with you. Apparently, the interest is for both of you. And I went, oh, that’s even brilliant.
“And the next day, flight on, into Glasgow. That time, I’ve told you, pair of trousers, T-shirt, blazer, that was it. We stayed there for a week.
“The other player, he had a family, he had already a kid, he had a wife as well. For youngster, in my thoughts, in my head, I’ve never been about money.
“It’s about playing at the highest level, achieving and developing and doing the right things.”
Who was Milen Petkov, the player who was supposed to join Celtic?
Milen Petkov was Petrov’s teammate at CSKA Sofia in the late 90s. But who was the Bulgarian international who didn’t join Petrov at Celtic?
Petkov won the Bulgarian League and two Bulgarian Cups during his time at CSKA. He was a defensive midfielder who was a fully-fledged member of the Bulgarian national team.
Petkov earned 37 international caps over his career, so where did he go if it wasn’t to Celtic?
AEK Athens was Petkov’s next destination where he spent five years winning two Greek Cups.
Injury blighted Petkov’s time at AEK and he then moved on to the Bulgarian second-tier with Atromitos and Ilysiakos for two seasons.
Petkov never really got going at both clubs and eventually returned to Bulgaria to join Cherno More and then his career finally petered out at Dobrudzha before retiring in 2011.