Chris Jullien and his representatives were, as recently as a fortnight ago, making it clear Celtic’s injury hit defender was looking to stake a claim for a place in Ange Postecoglou’s side this season, yet after returning with the rest of the squad for pre-season training on Monday, Jullien posted an Instagram message of a mid-air flight, before deleting his not so cryptic clue in short order.
It was enough to intimate Glasgow may not be where the player will be plying his footballing trade next season – and now it seems Germany and France may well feature heavily in Jullien’s flight plans in the coming days.
Christopher Jullien. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Firstly, Mark Hendry at Football Scotland – who appears to have some decent contacts when it comes to Celtic this summer, given he also advised on Alexandro Bernabei being Celtic’s preferred left back target – gave us all the heads up that newly promoted Bundesliga side Schalke are the German club looking to persuade Jullien to join.
‘Football Scotland understands Bundesliga outfit Schalke are in pole position to sign the out-of-favour defender who has been unsettled with the lack of game time since his return. Jullien is entering into the final year of his contract in Glasgow and needs playing time’…
Meanwhile the Scottish Sun claim Schalke, as well as French top flight clubs Rennes and Lorient, are also interested in ensuring Jullien has alternative options for the 22/23 season – with a £1.5m fee also hinted at.
Jullien remaining at Celtic was always going to be a hard sell after the defender’s ill-timed and very public complaint regarding his playing time after recovering from long-term injury.
Photo: Andrew Milligan
In a tight knit changing room such a public display of petulance was never going to go down well with manager or teammates, particularly as the squad was gearing up to celebrate a league title win after a long hard slog of a season of which Jullien only played the most minor of cameo roles.
Add to that Ange Postecoglou also seems keen to add a central defender to his ranks during the transfer window, then in all likelihood if that role was to be filled by anything more than a short-term loan deal, the significant weekly wage of Jullien was also going to have to be shifted.
Whether it be Schalke, Lorient or Rennes, Chris Jullien now has a good level of club to consider as an alternative to a final season at Celtic where it is clear the player is not happy, and barring horrendous luck with injuries, next season – much like the last – would likely consist of training each day then watching games almost exclusively from the stands or subs bench.
Christopher Jullien during last season’s Celtic FC away kit launch at Celtic Park (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
It remains to be seen whether these reports prove accurate, and Chris Jullien does make his move to the Bundesliga or Ligue 1, but it’s the kind of move that would suit both the player and Celtic, given Jullien appeared to burn his bridges with Celtic at the end of last season.
More must-reads: