There is no mystery over a Celtic statement mentioning Filip Benkovic. He has left the club.
At the end of last August, with little success in bringing in a new central defender Celtic managed to sign the young Croatian on loan for the season. That’s the season that ended in May 2019.
Celtic Football Club wishes Dorus all the very best in his future endeavours, and extends the same gratitude to departing players Emilio Izaguirre, Cristian Gamboa, Regan Hendry, Dedryck Boyata, Mikael Lustig, Filip Benkovic, Scott Allan, Youssouf Mulumbu, Oliver Burke and Jeremy Toljan.
During most loan transfers everyone compliments each other. The player is usually delighted to be getting game time, tick, the club he is playing for is grateful to have him to work with and the club that has sent him out on loan is happy to get some money coming in for a player that they wouldn’t be using.
Add in Brendan Rodgers and it’s wonderful all round, two fantastic clubs, a wonderful human being and great life experiences for everyone. Super. Wonderful. Everyone is a winner.
Now in July 2019 Celtic are again trying to build a central defence to get through to the group phase of the Champions League.
After being injured for most of 2019 Benkovic managed one match out of three for Croatia at the u-21 European Championships in Italy. He will return to Leicester for pre-season training while Christopher Jullien and Kris Ajer start to form a partnership in Celtic’s most important matches of the season.
Benkovic and Leicester will be looking for a step up from facing Hamilton, St Mirren and St Johnstone. Celtic will be looking for another permanent central defender to challenge Jullien, Ajer and Jozo Simunovic.
Perhaps if there is a run of injuries and failures in the transfer market Benkovic, Celtic and Leicester will get round the table at the end of August and discuss another deal. But probably not.
