The imminent exit of Carl Starfelt at Celtic is normally would be one that would concern me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of the Swedish defender, but as with every player that leaves the club, an opportunity is created for another.
Take David Turnbull, for example. The retirement of Aaron Mooy and the arrival of Brendan Rodgers has revived what looked like a flailing Celtic career.
The same could happen for three other Celtic fringe players with Starfelt’s impending exit. Now, before I go on, I am aware that Brendan Rodgers intends to go into the transfer market in order to replace Starfelt, but as the manager has also stated, he wants four central defenders to create competition for the rest of the season.
And this is the perfect opportunity for Liam Scales, Yuki Kobayashi and Stephen Welsh. All three players have either been on the periphery of the Celtic first team or so far out the picture, you tend to forget that they are still at the club.
But, like Turnbull, all three of them have an opportunity to grasp.
Liam Scales has impressed Brendan Rodgers since this preseason. The Celtic manager was happy with his contribution in all four friendlies and singled out the player for praise.
He is, of course, heavily tipped to wind up at Aberdeen but has he done enough to convince Rodgers to hold onto him for another season?
Yuki Kobayashi still needs time to find his feet at Celtic. Last season his appearances were sporadic and, to be fair to him, when he got his opportunity the league was won and the whole team lost their spark towards the end of the season.
He did impress against Kilmarnock in the 4-1 away win and then again at Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup win against Morton in January. And at 22 years old, he is that age where Brendan Rodgers could help develop him.
He is also a natural left-sided defender so he would be the most natural backup to Maik Nawrocki should he get injured.
Lastly, Stephen Welsh. Another defender that has fallen out of the picture and, out of the three, is probably the least likely to get an opportunity at Celtic.
He rarely featured last season under Ange Postecoglou and didn’t make the matchday squad yesterday. He is more likely to depart this summer but as with every player, you just never know.
The point is, Turnbull has proven this season that no one at Celtic can be ruled out to make a contribution under Rodgers. Even as a backup option. Either of these three could be that and what comes next? Who knows.
In other news, “Let’s be honest”; Matt O’Riley’s brilliant show of support to Celtic teammate
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