Celtic have retweeted Utrecht’s announcement that Vasilis Barkas has joined Utrecht on a season long loan.
Normally timings are agreed between the two clubs over announcing transfers but it seems that the Dutch club moved first with details of the deal.
Utrecht had the full package lined up with pictures of Barkas signing on at the club with quotes from their Technical director Jordy Zuidam:
Vasilis is a big and athletic goalkeeper. He has good reflexes, rules in the air in the box, stands his ground in one-on-one duels and has charisma. Vasilis is also an experienced keeper, who has played under the bar at top clubs in Greece and Scotland and has played the necessary international matches with Greece. He gives our team an absolute boost.
Best of luck, Vasilis Barkas. https://t.co/OVNXbbt7Fy
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) June 7, 2022
Barkas has a Dutch born mother, speaks the language and has a few weeks to prepare for pre-season training with his new club.
In 2020 he joined Celtic after the opening matches, made his debut in a 1-1 draw away to Kilmarnock just as Boli Bolingoli was starting a series of bizarre events that sent the season into freefall.
Like many at the club Barkas never truly recovered from losing to Ferencvaros in the Champions League qualifier even though that match was followed by a run of seven successive victories.
After rotating with Scott Bain and Conor Hazard last season he started the new campaign as Ange Postecoglou’s first choice but underwhelming performances against Midtjylland and West Ham forced Celtic back into the market where they signed Joe Hart.
With a Celtic contract running until June 2024 the hoops will be hoping that a return to form will allow them to recoup some sort of transfer fee for the Greek international.
On the Celtic website today the only stories published are about record crowds and setting up coaching partnerships with clubs in the USA.
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He’ll be back by January, after giving more gifts to Dutch strikers than Santa.