Aaron Mooy has been suggested as a possible transfer target for Ange Postecoglou.
A variety of Australian and Japanese related players have already been linked with joining Postecoglou in Glasgow but a move for the 30-year-old midfielder makes more sense than most claims.
Mooy is currently playing in China with Shanghai SIPG following a £4m transfer from Brighton a year ago.
Life in China as a footballer isn’t too much fun at the best of times but over the last year it has been more restrictive than ever although the salary will offer a great deal of comfort, or security as it is often referred to.
Discussing a possible move to Celtic, The World Game explains:
Chinese teams understand that the current situation in the country is tough for foreign players.
All players are confined to two ‘bubbles’ in the cities of Guangzhou and Suzhou, and leave hotels only for training and games. That is one reason Graham Arnold did not select Mooy for the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Kuwait.
“Aaron being in China, being on his own, away from his family, he hasn’t seen his wife or kids for four months,” Arnold told Fox Sports in May. “The family haven’t been able to get into China. Aaron, he felt he had to see his family. I support that 100 percent.
“Family is number one in life and Aaron is so committed to the Socceroos and was put in a position where if he didn’t go and see his family now he wouldn’t have seen them for 12 months … I can’t wait to see Aaron back in camp in the third phase in September.”
Mooy’s wife is Scottish which might be related to his two year spell at St Mirren before returning to Australia and being spotted by the City Football Group, fed into their system and arriving at Huddersfield via Melbourne City and Manchester City.
Despite the hairline Mooy is only 30 with solid experience of the EPL from Huddersfield and Brighton.
After a year in China the need to get back to the UK may be more important as he looks to play his part in Australia qualifying for the World Cup Finals and living again with his wife and two kids.
The downside for Celtic would be the international commitments which have had an impact on Tom Rogic’s career.
Postecoglou has still to land in Scotland but it is very likely that he is currently getting upto speed with the Scottish game and any contacts that he has that have experience of playing in Scotland.
Mooy looks to tick a number of boxes but with five weeks till Celtic’s first match under Potecoglou time is ticking away from the new hoops manager.
CLICK HERE for Mooy’s Soccerbase profile.
Mooy scores after 2 minutes