Daniel Arzani’s Celtic optimism may now be evaporating

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Daniel Arzani’s future has been a constant source of speculation and debate for about the last 12 months.

His horror ACL injury really did smash his chances of being a hit at Celtic. Making just one solitary substitute appearance all season, the Australian youngster really has struggled to make the name for himself here that he would’ve hoped.

Yet, only as recently as two weeks ago were reports coming out saying he still had hope of making it at Parkhead. Australian outlet The World Game reported that Arzani had not given up hope of impressing Neil Lennon. The idea being that he would be given a chance in the final weeks of the season.

However, The World Game also reported two weeks ago that Arzani’s representatives had already begun searching for a new destination for him.

Given what’s happened in those two weeks since, that’s looking like a mightily smart move from his management team. Arzani’s slim Celtic hopes have now surely disintegrated given the current health crisis.

Would Celtic bother trying to extend Arzani’s deal?

Arzani falls into the bracket of players whose contract is up at the end of the campaign. His parent club, Manchester City, loaned him out to Celtic for a lengthy 18 months back in the summer of 2018.

In that period, Arzani has made two substitute appearances (Transfermarkt). This is primarily down to his ACL tear picked up on his debut against Dundee. However, but all accounts, he’s been fit and available since the winter break yet hasn’t been utilised.

He has had a couple of other appearances in the matchday squad since January. As well as his rare outing against Partick in the Scottish Cup, Arzani has also been spotted on the bench against Kilmarnock and Hamilton in league encounters.

Given the current shutdown of football in the UK, one key point has been what happens to players whose contracts run out. This includes loan players too. At best, clubs will be able to extend their deals for a couple of months until the season is up. That’s only if leagues get the chance to be completed after the current pandemic.

However, there has to be question marks as to whether Celtic will bother extending Arzani’s given his lack of impact during the course of his loan spell. Much of this has been through no fault of his own of course. But considering he isn’t a crucial part of Lennon’s team, the club could choose not to extend his deal for the final weeks in the season he hoped to make an impression in.

Of course, The World Game did report back in November that Lennon had been impressed with Arzani and that he was looking to extend his deal for another year. Yet if that was the case, why have we barely seen him whilst he’s been fit?

Whatever hope Arzani had of making it in Glasgow, it’s surely evaporating quickly.