Celtic are reportedly considering a move to bring Adam Matthews back to Glasgow.
According to the Scottish Daily Mail (16/06, back page), the Hoops are contemplating whether to bring Matthews to Scotland for a second stint at the champions.
This comes after the Welshman was released by Sunderland at the end of the season (BBC). He made 28 appearances for the Black Cats in League One last term. Despite that, however, Matthews failed to ever stay in the team regularly. He left Sunderland having made 67 appearances for the Wearside outfit.
Celtic of course were the ones who initially sold Matthews to Sunderland for £2million back in 2015 (BBC). He struggled to win the right-back duel with Mikael Lustig, but was originally signed by Neil Lennon back in 2011.
And now, there could be a reunion if the Daily Mail’s report is anything to go by.
A step in the backward direction
This could perhaps only be summed up by saying the following – this is never a signing that would be contemplated under Brendan Rodgers. Yes, recruitment was poor under the former manager, but such an obvious step back would never have been on the cards.
This would scream of downsizing from the club. That’s especially the case if Matthews is brought back to the club with the idea of being first-choice at right-back.
Yet you can see it happening too. The link is clear considering Lennon brought him to Parkhead originally. But it’s important not to criticise anyone at Celtic at the moment considering the move hasn’t been made. This could easily just be speculation, and hopefully it is.
And that’s nothing against Matthews’ service to Celtic over the four-year spell he was here. The Welshman made 150 appearances for Celtic, and played a key part during the early stages of our current eight-in-a-row run. He deserves immense respect for that. But, as it stands, he was rejected by League One’s Sunderland. That doesn’t make you good enough for Celtic in any capacity.
The links to former players are becoming a tad frustrating too. This screams of the same nonsense that had Gary Hooper linked with a move back to Parkhead last month (The Sun). No thanks guys, it’s time to get fresh and really shake things up ahead of nine-in-a-row.
Bringing Matthews back? That simply can’t happen.
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