The real reason Matthew Anderson left Celtic in the summer transfer window

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Celtic were openly looking for a left-back to cover Kieran Tierney this summer.

It was no secret that Brendan Rodgers wanted another quality left-sided full-back to ensure that Tierney could be rested if and when required this season.

With Greg Taylor leaving Celtic for PAOK, the Hoops manager’s search for another defender intensified.

Young Matthew Anderson was once tipped as a young player who could do a job for Celtic.

But as the defender made his Celtic exit to KV Kortrijk in the Belgian second-tier, Anderson has opened up on why he decided to make his Parkhead exit this summer.

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Matthew Anderson explains ‘early’ Celtic exit

Anderson enjoyed a loan spell away from Celtic at Admira Wacker as he honed his skills with some valuable first team minutes.

However, when KV Kortrijk came in this summer, the young Celtic Academy graduate wasted no time in making his move.

Anderson told The Scotsman, “They came in early in the summer and seemed really keen.

“The manager was Club Brugge assistant last season, so in a way it is similar to how I’ve been brought up to play at Celtic.

“They seemed really ambitious. We’ve just signed a player [Denes Vilmos], now that I think I just read on the news that Aberdeen tried to sign him for a million euros.

“If we do get what we want, which is promotion, then playing in the top division of Belgium is perfect for someone like me.”

Matthew Anderson says the ‘pathway of going abroad’ inspired Celtic exit

Just over two months on from his Celtic exit, Anderson has clearly been told he would be in the Belgian side’s first team plans which appears to have influenced his decision to leave Glasgow.

Anderson continued, “There’s a pathway of going abroad. Lennon’s [Miller] done it now as well. Max [Johnston] has been abroad.

“I think the success rate is probably more than staying in Scotland, for some reason, it just seems to work. So I did look at that, and I thought when I was in Austria, especially the first season, it really suited me, the way we played.

“It started that way in Belgium so far, so I have no complaints.”

Anderson has made a blinding start to his career in Belgium starting Kortrijk’s first four fixtures providing three assists in four wins.

The young defender could very well achieve his dream of playing the Belgian top-flight should he help his new club continue their excellent start to the season.