The 7 Celtic players Ange Postecoglou could send out the exit door this summer

By David Walton

June 28, 2021

Ange Postecoglou is willing to give everyone at Celtic a chance this summer, but there will undoubtedly be casualties.

When it comes to a squad rebuild, there are always departures. Some of those departures will be players who have wanted out for some time after being successful at the club in the past. Others will be players who want out that simply aren’t good enough. The rest are those who will be disappointed to be shown the exit door.

Celtic are likely to have players that fit into all of these categories this summer. For one reason or another, Postecoglou will send a handful of players out the club.

Firstly, for those who have been successful but want out, there are a few. Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard are the two that come to mind first and foremost. Postecoglou has stated that he’ll have chats with those players wanting to leave. However, in the case of Ajer and Edouard, there isn’t much hope.

Their reasons for leaving don’t solely fall on reasons that Celtic can actually control. They’re ready to test themselves at a higher level. There is only so much Scottish football can provide, regardless of who the manager is or what the project entails.

Those non-committed won’t be at Celtic Park under Ange

The new boss also isn’t willing to allow people to stay who aren’t committed to the project [Daily Record]. Expect Ajer and Edouard to be one of the first to leave.

The same goes for Ryan Christie and Olivier Ntcham. There is a massive question to ask about whether either of these players are even good enough to be first-team regulars now in any case. They’re also seemingly eyeing up something different, and whether it’s justifiable or not, their reasons will stem from the same tree as Ajer’s and Edouard’s.

Ryan Christie celebrates a Celtic goal / (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Ange will also be taking a look at the players who came back from the club after loan periods away. Boli Bolingoli, Marian Shved, and Vakoun Bayo will all be given a chance to impress this summer.

I’ve said my piece on all three players in the past. I would like Celtic to keep a hold of Shved and Bayo in particular and see what they can offer during pre-season. However, if I’ve to make a prediction, it’ll only be the former who stays at Parkhead beyond the window.

Bolingoli should and hopefully will be sent back out as quickly as possible. There’s no place for him here after his breach last year. And whilst I believe Bayo could be a fine option as a plan B, I can’t see Postecoglou buying into him. He doesn’t have the attributes you would associate with Postecoglou’s high-tempo football.

The Celtic exit door will see plenty of players this summer

The final player I expect to be shown the door? None other than goalkeeper Scott Bain.

Bain was Celtic number one for several stages of the season last year. He managed 23 outings and conceded a poor 30 goals [Transfermarkt]. It was yet another season where Bain has failed to show that he’s of the quality we need between the sticks.

Vasilis Barkas may have been an expensive disappointment, but his stats read better. He managed 11 clean sheets in his 22 appearances, with 21 goals conceded. Ending the campaign with back-to-back shutouts after coming back into the side, he ended the season with a slight morale-booster.

Celtic goalkeeper Scott Bain / (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

I would expect the club to keep hold of him for now. Recouping what they lost on Barkas will be extremely difficult, and it would be more worth our time to try and see if he can have a promising pre-season.

Whilst there’s an element of unknown about Barkas though, you can’t the same about Bain. With Celtic reportedly in the market for a new goalkeeper this summer [Sky Sports], somebody has to be sacrificed from the squad. I firmly expect it to be Scott.

Those are the seven players I believe Postecoglou will show the door this summer. It’s going to be an extensive summer clearout at Parkhead, and the departure work is likely to begin soon.

In other news, how Sheffield United have reacted to last night’s Celtic news regarding George Baldock.