Carlo Ancelotti provides update on new Celtic signing Jonjoe Kenny

By John McGinley

February 2, 2021

Carlo Ancelotti has told reporters that new Celtic signing Jonjoe Kenny still has a future at Everton.

Kenny has arrived at Celtic Park on loan for the remainder of the season.

There is no option to buy in the deal.

Still, given he has left Goodison Park, the move raised question marks about his status at Everton.

Ancelotti was asked if the right-back had an Everton future in a press conference today.

As quoted by The Liverpool Echo (12:01), he said: “Yes. He is our player from the Academy.

“He had experience in Schalke where he did really well. He came back and didn’t find the space or the opportunities to play a lot.

“So we decided to give the opportunity to play for six months to see what happens and he will be back in the summer.”

No great benefit to Celtic with Jonjoe Kenny move

Kenny very much looks like a stopgap signing at Celtic then. There have been occasions in the past when a loan turns into something more long-term.

Options to buy always open the possibility of an eventual permanent signing.

In this case though, it appears the Kenny signing is simply to have a body in the door.

The exit of Jeremie Frimpong last week made that a necessity. Kenny’s arrival is better than nothing. However, there’s not much to get excited about here.

New Celtic signing Jonjoe Kenny has arrived from Everton / (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Even if the 23-year-old has a storming few months in Glasgow, the likelihood is he’ll be an Everton man again. If anything, a spell at Celtic will increase his transfer value further, out of our reach.

Still, I’m looking forward to fresh ideas on the right flank. Hopefully it can kickstart some sort of Celtic form.

In other news, Olivier Ntcham has had a nightmare start to his Marseille career.