Marco Tilio’s quest to play for Celtic could take a big detour

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Celtic winger Marco Tilio is open to a loan spell away from the Hoops if he can’t break into the first team before January.

The winger is currently away on international duty with the Australia under-23 national team and made his return from injury for the Olyroos on Saturday, coming on as a substitute for the final nine minutes of the game in a 2-1 win over Qatar.

The Daily Record are reporting that Tilio is open to a loan move in January if he isn’t able to work his way into Brendan Rodgers’ plans before the New Year.

Tillio has failed to make an appearance for Celtic so far this season after suffering an injury at Melbourne City before joining the Hoops in the summer for around £1.5 million.

Tilio moved to Celtic as the most expensive player ever signed from Australia, with significant pressure on his shoulders to live up to the high standards set by fellow countrymen Aaron Mooy and Tom Rogic at Celtic.

So far, he has been unable to make an impact, but his call-up to international duty shows that he is now nearing full fitness, and in the coming weeks, will hopefully be ready to start contributing for Celtic.

Celtic fans are still unsure what to expect from Tilio without any game time yet, but he came to the Hoops with a glowing record in Australia, having won three consecutive A-League Premierships with Melbourne City and earning the A-League All Star in 2022.

In 29 A-League appearances last season, Tilio scored 10 goals and provided six assists, showcasing his ability as a creative winger who can both assist teammates and score goals, a vital trait needed in Brendan Rodgers’ current Celtic side.

Tilio will find it difficult to break into the Celtic first team in the coming weeks with the recent form of Luis Palma and Hyunjun Yang, but he is more than aware of the depth Celtic possesses, particularly in wide areas.

Proving himself on loan at another club wouldn’t be a terrible outcome, we’ve seen other players do that with success previously. Hopefully whatever decision is made is in the best interests of his development at the Bhoys.