Celtic target Thomas Robert is said to have enjoyed his spell on trial at the club.
However, after coming back to Airdrieonians, the Frenchman, son of Newcastle United cult hero Laurent Robert, has struggled. In the last 4 games, Robert has played just 18 minutes, with 17 of those coming in one match [Transfermarkt].
Robert didn’t make it off the bench in matches against Montrose and East Fife, and hasn’t played an entire 90 minutes since December. Of course, there was an extended period of lockdown for SPFL League 1 and 2 clubs, but it’s still a very concerning sign.
The obvious assumption would be that Robert has truly had his head turned from his time training with Celtic. According to his team-mate Leon McCann, the former Montpellier youth winger loved his brief spell training with the squad, and is keen to make a permanent Paradise move.
McCann said [Daily Record]:
“Thomas is quite a quiet boy but he said it was a fantastic experience and that Celtic looked after him very well.
“He wasn’t able to train with the full first-team because of Covid but he said it was brilliant. He got kitted out in all the Celtic gear and they let him keep it.”
MORE CELTIC STORIES
Should Celtic worry about lack of action for Thomas Robert?
It may just be the case that Robert is having fitness issues. However, with his versatility as a winger who can play on either side of the attack, you’d have thought he’d be garnering more match time for the third-tier outfit.
Airdrieonians currently sit fourth in SPFL League One, with Partick Thistle leading the way with 37 points [SPFL]. That represents a bit of a regression for the North Lanarkshire side, who finished third in the truncated 19-20 campaign.
Having added an absolute coup of a signing in Thomas Robert, you might’ve thought the side would be better placed. However, Robert hasn’t scored or set up a goal this calendar year. That’s concerning form from both an Airdrieoninans and a Celtic point of view.
Whether it’s enough to put the Bhoys off signing Robert permanently this summer is yet to be seen. The young winger is clearly a talent. However, whether his head’s been turned or he’s suffering from a poor vein of form, the timing could be far better.