Celtic could look to offload several fringe players in the final stages of the window to reduce what has become a bloated squad.
Brendan Rodgers will be all too aware that a significant chunk of the Hoops’ wage bill is being taken up by individuals who aren’t regular contributors come matchday.
Starting off his squad cull, the Irishman allowed Yosuke Ideguchi to join Vissel Kobe on a permanent basis earlier this month.
Adam Montgomery and Hyeokkyu Kwon have left the building temporarily after being loaned out to Motherwell and St Mirren, respectively. MacKenzie Carse has left the B team to head to Queens Park on a similar basis, while Johnny Kenny has extended his deal at Shamrock Rovers.
Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph has indicated that Gustaf Lagerbielke, James McCarthy and Alexandro Bernabei could be allowed to leave Parkhead this month.
Australia international Marco Tilio may be permitted to depart on loan and could be joined by Japanese defender Yuki Kobayashi before the close of play.
Celtic forgotten man Yuki Kobayashi is wanted by two MLS clubs
Remember Kobayashi? With no disrespect intended, some Celtic fans genuinely could’ve been forgiven for not knowing that the 23-year-old is still on the books at Parkhead.
In total, the forgotten defender has managed to make just seven appearances for the Hoops across all competitions since joining in November 2022 [Transfermarkt].
Unsurprisingly, the former Japan Under-21 cap hasn’t been seen since defeats to Rangers and Hibernian at the tail end of last term, where Ange Postecoglou’s side shipped seven goals in two fixtures that mattered little in the context of the 2022/23 Scottish Premiership campaign.
According to The Daily Record, Kobayashi could now be set for a loan move to one of FC Dallas or Real Salt Lake, with both MLS clubs reportedly keen on offering him an opportunity to kickstart his career.
Celtic are open to letting the former Vissel Kobe man leave as part of their wider squad cull. It is also claimed by the outlet that Benjamin Siegrist is surplus to requirements and Mikey Johnston has interest from two Championship clubs, one of which being West Bromwich Albion.
Celtic need to trim excess fat from their squad
There’s not much to say here that isn’t stating the obvious, but Celtic should look to trim their squad size, as Rodgers has far too many players at the club who aren’t even close to being first-team regulars.
Of course, that isn’t the Irishman’s fault per se; nevertheless, how is he supposed to build efficiently for the long term when his wage budget is restricted by individuals who aren’t involved at all in some cases?
For the good of the club and the men in question, the Hoops should look to authorise departures where applicable so that both parties can move on with their footballing objectives.
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