Although much of the excitement around Celtic’s transfer window has focused on incoming players, it was always just as important to move on the high-earning fringe players who have no future under Ange Postecoglou.
We’ve seen the club move as quickly as possible to make this happen.
Vasilis Barkas left on loan FC Utrecht weeks ago, Ismaila Soro has made the switch to Portugal on a loan-to-buy basis and tonight Boli Bolingoli left the club permanently.
For me there’s an obvious candidate to join them out the door and sharply – Albian Ajeti.
Ajeti’s circumstance at Celtic is a little different this summer in that he was actually included on the group’s pre-season trip to Austria and Czech Republic this month.
Neither Soro nor Bolingoli made the plane, while Barkas had already left.
In that sense, Postecoglou is clearly happy to work with the Swiss striker for now – but surely his time is up as soon as any team signals they’d take him on loan or, fingers crossed, permanently.
While much of the team played with enthusiasm and purpose last Wednesday evening against regional side Wiener Viktoria, but Ajeti was not one of them.
He was poor with his effort and application, never mind his quality – missing an absolute sitter at one stage.
Many people have their doubts about Christopher Jullien too but at least in the Frenchman’s case he could play a competent back-up role. I’m not sure Ajeti can even do that.
I’d much rather see game time given to youngster Johnny Kenny for example, or even moving Daizen Maeda into a central area before Ajeti finds himself on the pitch.
Regardless of his presence in Austria, his days must be numbered.
Frustratingly, there’s been no real credible link regarding his transfer – although, today’s Bolingoli announcement did come out of the blue.
If we can move on Ajeti it will free up even more of the wage budget for Postecoglou to make the moves he needs to, so fingers crossed something can happen fairly quickly.
In other news, Celtic captain Callum McGregor names team’s preferred Champions League draw.
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