Celtic fans split as they speculate over highly unlikely return of Invincible hero

Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Watford - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - November 10, 2018 Southampton's Stuart Armstrong shakes the hand of Southampton manager Mark Hughes as he is substituted off REUTERS/Peter Nicholls EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

With a lack of transfer speculation over the weekend some imaginative Celtic fans started to ponder a return to the club for Stuart Armstrong.

Just over a year ago Southampton paid £8m for the midfielder who was outstanding in the 2016/17 Invincible season but a shadow of that player the following term. A sort of Olivier Ntcham a year early.

With Southampton struggling and Mark Hughes replaced by Ralph Hasenhutti in mid season Armstrong’s move didn’t quite go as smoothly as he would have wished, starting just 16 EPL matches and appearing as a substitute in a further 13. A total of four goals over the season, two in the same match away to Fulham doesn’t sound much like the player that brought drive and goals to Brendan Rodgers’ first season in Glasgow.

When he ‘committed’ to a 12 month extension to his Celtic contract in August 2017 the writing was on the wall for Armstrong who clearly had his eyes on the next financial step in his career.

Armstrong signed a four year contract with the Saints with wages that will comfortably exceed the highest paid player at Celtic.

With two trebles in his back pocket, plus two other SPFL winners medals there is little on the park to entice the 27-year-old back to Scotland.

Celtic’s transfer priority is surely a new right-back and despite one memorable performance from the Blonde Cafu Armstrong will see his future as a midfielder- enjoying the riches of the EPL.

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