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Mission accomplished- Celtic midfielder earns international reprieve

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Image for Mission accomplished- Celtic midfielder earns international reprieve

Aaron Mooy is on his way back to Celtic with his World Cup place seemingly assured.

The midfielder went into the World Cup play-offs without a club but has since joined Celtic, making 10 appearances, mostly off the bench.

After two years in Chinese football there were some concerns in Australia that Mooy might not be match fit for the World Cup Finals in Qatar but after getting 90 minutes in a warm-up match against New Zealand the big hitters, including Mooy, have returned to their club’s rather than face another friendly with New Zealand.

The Daily Record reports:

Midfielder Aaron Mooy has been sent back to Celtic by Australia boss Graham Arnold and will miss the final World Cup warm-up game with New Zealand.

The 32-year-old played the full 90 minutes for the Socceroos on Thursday as they secured a narrow 1-0 win over the All Whites on, but is now among a host of Australia internationals returning to their club side before the return fixture in Auckland. Mooy has ramped up his game-time in recent weeks at Celtic having been handed a start in the disappointing 2-0 defeat to St Mirren before the international break, but won’t get any more minutes before the Scottish Premiership league campaign resumes against Motherwell next Saturday.

Reports in Australia suggest that Arnold has sent home players who he already views as certainties to be on the plane for the World Cup. Dundee United’s Aziz Behich, former Hibs pair Jackson Irvine and Jamie Maclaren, Matty Ryan, Trent Sainsbury, Ajdin Hrustic, Fran Karacic, Awer Mabil and Adam Taggart have all returned to their clubs.

Getting Mooy back in training early next week provides Ange Postecoglou with some good news after David Turnbull had to pull out of the Scotland squad.

Celtic schedule of 13 matches between October 1 and November 13 will require every member of the squad to be available with Postecoglou and Mooy both trusting each other after their time together with the Australian national side.

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