Celtic make surprise goalkeeper decision

Celtic have decided not to allow Ben Siegrist to go out on loan.

The goalkeeper was signed as a free agent from Dundee United in the summer of 2022 but has only made two League Cup appearances since leaving Tannadice.

According to Football Scotland, the digital arm of the Daily Record, there has been interest shown in Siegrist but Celtic have opted to hold on to their third choice goalkeeper.

Josh Clarke and Joe Morrison have played in the Lowland League and UEFA Youth League this season but it seems that Celtic want to hold on to an experienced third choice keeper.

Mark Hendry of Football Scotland reports:

Ben Siegrist looks set to stay at Celtic this month.

The goalkeeper, 32, has not featured for the Hoops at all this season with his last outing for the club coming in October 2022 against Motherwell in a 4-0 win. A loan move to Sturm Graz looked nailed on earlier this window but that collapsed when the Austrian giants opted to move for Liverpool stopper Vitezslav Jaros instead.

That left Siegrist, the club and his representatives clamouring to find the player a move before the end of the transfer window which slams shut tonight at 11.30pm.

Now Football Scotland understands that, while there was interest in the player, no suitable parties came forward with a proposal and now Celts have opted to keep hold of him until the summer unless something dramatic happens tonight.

Since Brendan Rodgers returned to Celtic Scott Bain has been the clear back-up goalkeeper, coming off the bench when Joe Hart was sent off at Livingston then played the following week away to Motherwell.

With Hart out of contract at the end of this season a decision is pending on who will be Celtic’s goalkeeper at the start of next season.

Ben Siegrist Celtic transfer exit route blocked as Hoops decide to keep goalkeeper

Full story @Football_Scot https://t.co/TzLvX6xrA8

— Mark Hendry (@mhendry92) February 1, 2024