Freed Celtic midfielder turns down homeland offer

Nir Bitton is reported to have turned down an offer from Maccabi Tel Aviv. 

The midfielder was released at the end of the season by Celtic, bringing to an end nine years in Scotland following his transfer from Ashdod when Neil Lennon was first in charge. 

With vast European and international experience Bitton will be a very appealing free agent in his home nation but The Sun reports that he has rejected an offer from Macabbi Tel Aviv. 

Bitton, 30, is considering offers to return to his homeland as well as possible avenues with other European clubs. 

But he has rejected the first offer from Maccabi Tel Aviv to join the Bloomfield Stadium club, who finished third behind champions Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Be’er Sheva. 

Last season Bitton made 45 appearances for club and country which rules out any issues over his injury record. 

Until last season he had mainly been used as an emergency central defender by Celtic but under Ange Postecoglou he reverted back to his original position as a midfielder. 

The suddenness of Bitton and Tom Rogic’s departures came as a bit of a shock but in January Postecoglou stocked up by adding midfielders Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley and Yosuke Ideguchi to his squad.