Given recent events at Celtic, is Cristian Gamboa’s future now up for some real debate?
The club have today been linked with highly-rated Belgian right-back Timothy Castagne. The £6million rated star would be a huge acquisition if Brendan Rodgers can pull it off. He would also surely instantly jump straight in as the number one should he sign.
Meanwhile, Celtic would still have Mikael Lustig on their books. The Swede is currently Celtic’s first-choice right-back and has recently stated that he wants to stay in Glasgow. His current deal is up at the end of the season, however.
Then there’s young Anthony Ralston. It looked bleak for him just weeks ago, but a sudden renaissance has many delighted for him. He’s played in recent home fixtures against Motherwell and Dundee respectively. Better than that, he scored in the first against the Steelmen.
Ralston’s emergence in particular has been a huge blow for Costa Rican international Gamboa. The signing of Castagne would surely add up to Celtic getting rid of the out-of-favour former West Brom man.
Never a major player at Parkhead
Since arriving at the club back in the summer of 2016, Gamboa has never been a major player. He’s made just 31 appearances over the course of his two-and-a-half year spell at the club so far. This season alone, he’s made just seven outings.
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It would be bad enough if the situation remained as it was, but Celtic are on the lookout for another right-back. If it doesn’t turn out to be Castagne, then surely it will be someone else of some real calibre.
The Hoops fans have been demanding for months that Celtic upgrade substantially on Lustig. The fact that Lustig is already a major upgrade on Gamboa is a damning indictment of just how badly it’s gone for him at Parkhead.
It’s difficult to see any way back for Gamboa as it stands. Celtic are constantly looking to improve, and the right-back is now closing in on 30-years of age.
Celtic’s biggest problem is likely to be where the suitors come from. But with his contract running out in May, Celtic could easily accept lower terms than they normally would.
Is his future truly up at Celtic Park? Recent events would certainly suggest it.