Celtic’s training camp out in Portugal could prove to be an important mid-season opportunity for several members of Ange Postecoglou’s squad.
With the Bhoys’ return to action later this month edging closer, preparations are beginning to ramp up ahead of the second half of the campaign.
In order to make sure his players are ready to go, Ange Postecoglou and the squad have jetted off to a mid-season, warm-weather training camp in mainland Europe.
After several weeks off due to the World Cup in Qatar, it will provide a good opportunity for many members of the Hoops side to get back up to speed.
Whilst out in Portugal, Celtic are set to take part in friendly action against French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes, as they aim to build up their match sharpness.
Although for the majority of the Celtic squad, it will mainly be about fitness, for some, it is also about breaking into Ange Postecoglou’s plans later down the line.
We believe three players could be set for an important opportunity to impress in this training camp.
Oliver Abildgaard
The summer deadline day signing seems like an obvious choice, given we are still yet to see him making his first competitive start for the club.
The defensive midfielder arrived with high expectations but hasn’t quite lived up to them yet, due to a lack of game time and all his appearances coming off the bench.
That being said, the Celtic manager has said on several occasions that supporters will see the best of Abildgaard in the second half of the campaign.
With skipper Callum McGregor set to mark his return from injury in Portugal, it will be an important period for the Danish international.
Here’s hoping this is the point we start to see the best of the Rubin Kazan man, and he can prove to be a key performer in the second half of the season.
Yosuke Ideguchi
It was around this time last year, Celtic fans were anticipating the arrival of Ideguchi from the J-League, alongside Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate.
Whilst the other two names mentioned have gone on to excel since coming to Scotland, it has been a bit more of a struggle for the midfielder.
Through no fault of his own, the Japanese international has suffered some nasty injuries at dreadful times, including in his first appearance and just before the new season got underway in 2022.
The success of players such as Matt O’Riley has made Ideguchi’s task of breaking through into the side even harder, and he now faces an uphill battle to do so.
Similar to Abildgaard, the return of McGregor makes things even harder for Ideguchi, and his chances could be further limited.
So, it is up to the midfielder to impress Postecoglou and his coaching staff as he aims for a surprise opportunity after the winter break comes to a close.
Admittedly, that seems unlikely, and that may be slightly harsh on Ideguchi due to how unlucky he has been at Parkhead. But stranger things have happened.
Moritz Jenz
Unlike Abildgaard and Ideguchi, Mortiz Jenz has actually been a regular feature in Ange Postecoglou’s squad this season after signing on loan in the summer.
Alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers, the German defender has put in some strong showings, filling in for the injured Carl Starfelt and Stephen Welsh.
So there may be some questions as to why he is part of this three.
However, in my opinion, it is going to be an important few weeks for Jenz to try and impress Postecoglou in order to earn a permanent move to Parkhead.
The recent signing of Yuki Kobayashi has raised the question of which Celtic centre-back could be set for a loan or permanent exit, with Jenz and Welsh being the two most likely candidates.
As Jenz is not currently a Celtic player going into next season, he arguably seems the most likely of the two players.
However, if he manages to impress the Hoops boss after the winter break, he may be convinced to part with the fee and keep the on-loan Lorient man around.
With Carter-Vickers enjoying some extended time off after his spell at the World Cup, there is no better time for Jenz to impress than in Portugal.
It should be interesting to see how the next week or so goes, with the club keeping plans for the Bhoys’ trip to Europe under wraps.
Fingers crossed, it is the perfect preparation for the second half of the season, which is set to get underway later this month.
In other news, Scottish Football should be fearful of Celtic’s next stage.
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