Celtic just started to pave the way for a brilliant summer

By John McGinley

June 7, 2022

The Celtic first-team machinations have begun. After weeks of relative quiet for the Bhoys, with players and staff off on holidays, we’re now officially into the business of the summer window.

Vasilis Barkas has left the club to join FC Utrecht on loan for the 2022/23 campaign. This is a good move for the Greek goalkeeper, with the Eredivisie outfit likely to make him the number one choice across the coming season.

More importantly, for Celtic, it’s the beginning of a very important part of the process for the club this summer – shedding the wage bill of players who have no future under Ange Postecoglou.

Vasilis Barkas, along with others such as Boli Bolingoli, Albian Ajeti and Christopher Jullien, was signed to be a first-team performer at the Bhoys. He’ll have been on wages to match.

His move to the Netherlands may only be temporary, for now, but it’s a positive that Celtic have managed to get him playing somewhere else, freeing up more of a budget for Ange Postecoglou and the recruitment team.

Celtic are expected to sign another clutch of first-team ready players this summer, possibly as many as five or six. It’s not just transfer fees the club consider, but their salaries. They’re going to make sure the squad isn’t too bloated. If players don’t leave, big signings are less likely.

Celtic summer is about to get good

The club have been trying to move Barkas on for a while now, so if he’s on his way then it’d suggest others will quickly follow. Bolingoli has had little trouble finding loan destinations, even if his move to Turkey ended in injury and the switch to Russia collapsed.

In turn, we can start to get excited about the club ramping up towards incomings as the month goes on too. The manager will be eager to get as many players in the door as possible before the squad heads off to a pre-season training camp in Austria early next month.

This time last year was a chaotic time for everyone. It may be more low key this around, but no less important for the future direction of Celtic. Postecoglou has important work to do and we’re about to hear a lot more.

In other news, Kyogo gives class new interview in Japan; says Celtic experience is on “another level” with “top-class” Ange.