Doubt has emerged over Marcelo Saracchi’s Celtic future after a new report in Argentina.
Despite not always making the starting XI ahead of Kieran Tierney, the Hoops loanee has still earned plaudits for his performances this season.
He is on loan from Boca Juniors, where he had been banished prior to his move to Glasgow. Celtic have no option to buy.
But it will be little surprise that there are other clubs circling for a move this summer.
Would you take Marcelo Saracchi at Celtic permanently?
Celtic’s Marcelo Saracchi has interest from Racing Club
According to El Crack Deportivo, Racing Club are keeping an eye on Saracchi, with the move resting on two key factors.
The first is the potential sale of Gabriel Rojas, who is attracting interest from England and Europe. The second is the permanent status of Saracchi.
READ MORE: Forget Luis Palma, Celtic should be paying attention to his Lech Poznan teammate
The report says that he “should” return to Boca at the end of Celtic’s season.
If the move to Racing were to materialise, it would make Saracchi the first individual to play for both teams who contested the infamous Battle of Montevideo in 1967.
Racing’s current president is legendary ex-Inter Milan striker Diego Milito, who started and ended his career at the Allavenda club.
In an impressive playing career, Saracchi has also played for RB Leipzig, Galatasaray and River Plate, being limited by injury earlier in his career.
An 11-time Uruguay international, Saracchi captained his country for the first time last October and will be desperate for a place in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad for next summer’s World Cup.
Saracchi found himself out of favour at Boca, after falling behind Lautaro Blanco in the pecking order before being banished from the squad after the Club World Cup.
He has made 22 appearances for Celtic, scoring one goal against Livingston. His agent, Marcelo Tejera, recently revealed talks between him and the club.
Should Celtic have fought to keep Alex Valle?
Another transfer mistake by the Hoops?
Marcelo Saracchi’s agent Marcelo Tejera on Celtic talks
Tejera told Carve Deportiva: “It came up at Celtic, Marcelo [was] fascinated, Celtic are delighted with him.
“I even have a meeting with the CEO of Celtic because they want to start moving forward regarding the purchase.
“Let’s see how things go from here until the end of the loan. If it’s good to leave it there, then it’s good that he can go to a team in England who called me…
“Good news from the coach, Martin O’Neill, who is historic. In the first match I visited, he didn’t know the [team]…
“So he made him a starter, and at half-time he asked: ‘Who are you? Who are you that you play so well and I don’t know you?’
“Imagine, in the first match! And the other day, against Stuttgart, it was half-time and he shook his hand in front of the whole group, congratulating him.
“I was explaining to Saracchi: ‘this is not normal, that in England, that a coach of Martin O’Neill’s level does this with a player.”
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
