Celtic have no fewer than 12 players returning form loan spells in the summer. Some are youth players such as Adam Montgomery, Tobi Oluwayemi, Ewan Otoo and Jonny Kenny, but others like Mikey Johnston, Yousuke Ideguchi, Liam Shaw, Liam Scales, Osaze Urhoghide, Albian Ajeti, Vasilis Barkas and Ismaila Soro aren’t and are regarded as first team squad players, but few if any have no real hope in hell of making into Ange Postecoglou’s first team plans.
Even a place on the bench is a long shot. Particularly in the case of Ajeti, Barkas and Soro. All three signed by Neil Lennon for an outlay of almost £10 million. They will be on big wages also, so getting rid of the that trio will free big funds for a new player, one that Ange wants.
Getting them off the books is easier said than done though. There is no way we are going to recoup what we paid for all three, we’ll be doing well if we get half, a quarter the most likely.
We can maybe also fling Liam Scales into that bracket, at half a million he was a big outlay, maybe more for his potential, but he also looks out the picture, maybe another loan spell away for the Irishman? The same could be said for James McCarthy, on big money and a couple of years left to run on his contract. I can see the club cutting their losses on him.
We just have to bite the bullet and cut our losses on Ajeti, Barkas and Soro and take what we can get. These are the three big earners who are contributing nothing. I wanted all three to succeed but that hasn’t happened. They haven’t got the qualities that Ange looks for in a player, that’s plain to see. It’s best for all if they move on. If, of course, anyone is willing to take them.
The one player most likely to have a future out of these loan Celts is Mikey Johnston who has been getting much needed game-time in Portugal this season after a terrible run of injuries stalled his progress at Celtic. Having broken into the Republic of Ireland side, Johnston will believe that he as unfinished business at Celtic and Ange Postecoglou has always said that the club regard Johnston very highly.
JustAnOrdinaryBhoy – follow on Twitter @ordinarybhoy
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