Chris Sutton has raised concerns about Celtic’s squad depth heading into the latter stages of the season after developments this week.
The Bhoys have allowed Alexandro Bernabei to head off on loan to Brazilian outfit SC Internacional until the end of their 2024 campaign.
Bernabei has struggled to establish himself as a regular at Celtic since arriving during the Ange Postecoglou reign and had featured just nine times this season, only four of them starts.
Brendan Rodgers made it clear in a media conference on Friday that it was his call to let Bernabei leave, stating that if he didn’t want it to happen it wouldn’t have. So nobody at Celtic has decided to push through the deal without the manager’s sign-off.
Sutton reckons letting him leave was a strange decision due to his presence as the main back-up to first-choice left-back Greg Taylor.
Chris Sutton on Celtic squad depth
The outspoken former Bhoys striker said [Daily Record, 09/03 print edition, page 64]: “Why the heck have Celtic allowed Alexandro Bernabei to leave? It just doesn’t make sense to me.
“Listen, the Argentinian is no world beater. But he’s a left back. And it might have gone unnoticed at Celtic Park but that is a problem position for them. They only have Greg Taylor now and while he’s been a consistent performer, he’s had some injury problems – and no wonder after being flogged for about three years.
“Celtic are now in a title run-in with no cover. It’s madness. If Taylor gets injured or suspended it’ll mean Anthony Ralston – a right back – would need to play, or Liam Scales would need to move across, meaning one of the two centre backs who have not been deemed good enough all season coming in. God help them if Cameron Carter-Vickers pulls up again.”
It’s true that the squad is now weaker with Bernabei’s departure but the reality is it shouldn’t cost Celtic too much. Taylor is now over his injury issues and Rodgers appears comfortable with cover elsewhere.
Sutton isn’t happy with a lot of decisions coming out of Celtic this season and you can understand where he’s coming from here but it’s not as if Bernabei was trusted to perform even when coming in for Taylor.
This may have been the best opportunity to get the Argentinian off the books ahead of strengthening the left-back position this summer.
There’s a big nine games left in the Scottish Premiership season and I doubt Bernabei’s departure will have much say in the direction of the title silverware.
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