Lennon hints Celtic loan players won’t have futures decided until summer

Add as preferred source on Google

Neil Lennon has hinted that the three loan players at Celtic will have their futures decided at the end of the season.

The Hoops currently have Shane Duffy, Mohamed Elyounoussi, and Diego Laxalt on temporary deals. All three are scheduled to go back to their respective clubs at the end of this disastrous 2020/21 campaign.

Each individual has had differing levels of success. Duffy has been a total disaster, whilst Elyounoussi and Laxalt have both impressed in stages in an otherwise disappointing campaign.

And even though at this stage there isn’t much clamour from fans to sign any of them, Lennon effectively stated a final decision on all three will be made at the end of the season.

As quoted by the Glasgow Times, Lennon said: “I think there will be a rebuild of some capacity, players who are coming to the ends of their contracts may be looking to move on and the club may be looking to move them on.

“Then obviously loan players will be going back. Whether we investigate loaning them again is a discussion for the summer but there will be changes in the summer, there is no question of that.”

Celtic loan players haven’t done enough to warrant further interest

In my view, there’s not one of these three I would bring back next season. Elyounoussi and Laxalt would be the ones to stir up some debate of course – let’s not pretend Duffy has a chance here anymore.

Moi is the joint top scorer at the club this season with 14 [Who Scored]. Statistically, we should be urging the board to do everything it can to bring him back. But the Norwegian has failed to provide an added spice to our front-line in general play. He slows up a lot more than he speeds up, and he’s been anonymous against Hamilton and St Mirren over the last week respectively.

Laxalt started off an impressive acquisition. Signed on loan from Milan, fans were excited to get this one over the line on deadline day back in October. The left-back started off in energetic form both domestically and in Europe. Remember, his performance against Lille in the Europa League group stages was recognised by UEFA.

Since then, he’s drifted away. His performances have decreased in quality since the early months as he continuously fails to hit the by-line. All of a sudden, the excitement and fawning over the Uruguayan has quietened.

Nobody knows what’s going to happen with the club this summer. We would all hope for a new manager before then. But he’s unlikely to want any of Lennon’s loanees from this year.

Not because they’re bad players. Simply a combination of them not being his signings and a failure to impress in Glasgow this season.

In other news, we discuss how the last several days may have affected the Celtic new year review.