It was probably reignited by the Southampton team-sheet at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Fraser Forster, Stuart Armstrong and Moi Elyounoussi were all perfectly at home as the visitors took a deserved point from some of the biggest and best paid players in the EPL.
What sort of XI could Celtic field out of players currently still playing? The rare chance to put together a Celtic side without Henrik Larsson.
Over the last decade or so Celtic have famously become a selling club with Southampton one of the keenest clubs to snap up talent starting off with Victor Wanyama and Fraser Forster.
Virgil van Dijk took the same route and quickly became the most expensive defender in the game then picking up Champions League and EPL winners medals.
The Dutchman would feature in any back-four, Kieran Tierney won’t be challenged at left-back with Jeremie Frimpong and Mickel Lustig the right-back options. If players currently at Celtic are included there is a decent case to be made for Josip Juranovic.
In attack Odsonne Edouard and Moussa Dembele can compete for a place, or combine as they did a few times for Brendan Rodgers.
Goalkeeper is another highly competitive position, Forster and Craig Gordon are still turning in the performances with a certain Polish guy not doing badly a week away from his 42nd birthday.
There are no right or wrong answers, just the wish that someday again things will click with Celtic centre stage on Champions League knock-out nights.
? | What could have been XI
Based purely on current ability… what would your Celtic team be if we hadn’t lost anyone, including loanees?
Choosing players over the last decade. pic.twitter.com/RToTlCTHfl
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) February 15, 2022
Foster
Jura
Ajer
VVD
TierneyMcGregor
BrownForrest
Rogic
SinclairDembele
— Cillian (@drawdabhoy) February 15, 2022
5-3-2
— Cormac O’Hara ? ???? (@CormacOHara07) February 15, 2022
??????? Hart
??????? Tierney
?? VVD
?? Ajer
?? Juranovic??????? McGregor
?? Hatate
?? Rogic?? Edouard
?? Dembele
?? Jota11 in a row in the bag and a couple Europa leagues at the very least??
If Wanyama wasn’t perma injured he’d be in, top player.
— KP (@dipduckdive) February 15, 2022
Thought about this often ? Wow it would be some team. If we could just find someone who could keep our superstars together for a good 5/6 seasons. It’s hard to hold anything against the bhoys who go a seek their fortunes in super rich leagues
— Daniel Cramb (@Dancramb) February 15, 2022
Forster
Juranovic
Ajer
Van Dijk
TierneyCalmac
HatateAbada
Eddy
Kyogo
Jota— Matthew (@_MattB99) February 16, 2022