One of the mysteries of 2020 completes his break from Celtic

The bizarre Celtic career of Vasilis Barkas is finally over with the goalkeeper signing for Utrecht three years after his lockdown move from AEK Athens.

Most of the events of the Lockdown season will remain a mystery to Celtic fans but the first signs of problems surfaced when Fraser Forster’s expected return from Southampton fell through.

The England keeper had been outstanding during the 2019/20 season, highlighted by his displays against Lazio and at Hampden as Neil Lennon’s side won the League Cup despite being well short of their best.

Forster was at Lennoxtown for the start of pre-season training, Moi Elyounoussi renewed his loan but the Forster deal fell through as it was made clear to Craig Gordon through his contract offer that he would be second choice at best during the season ahead. He chose to go to Hearts, playing in The Championship.

Barkas stepped in, a statement of intent in the uncertainty of Lockdown but in the keeper, Lennon and the team never recovered from a home Champions League defeat from Ferencvaros.

The team actually went on an eight match winning run after that defeat but the alarm bells were going off all over the place. Autumn brought four successive home defeats, the fears of the fans watching at home on streams were confirmed with Barkas, Shane Duffy and Albian Ajeti among the casualties.

Translation:

Goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas returns to FC Utrecht. The 29-year-old closing post, who was hired by the Utrechters last season from Celtic and has now enjoyed a transfer-free status, has signed a contract for one season plus an option for another year in Utrecht service.

Ange Postecoglou attempted to rehabilitate Barkas but a soft goal lost to Midtjylland was one too many as an SOS went out to Scott Bain.

Barkas made one more appearance, when the squad was riddled by self isolation orders to win 3-1 away to St Johnstone.

He is bound to feature in debates about Celtic’s worst ever keeper but having impressed enough at AEK then earned a move to a decent Dutch side what went wrong at Celtic will forever be a mystery.