Celtic could be facing an unexpected problem in January with Barcelona reported to be considering the recall of Alex Valle.
The defender joined Celtic on a season long loan in August to provide cover and competition for the neglected left-back position.
With Greg Taylor in the final year of his contract the Valle deal looked like pushing the issue a year down the line but it could be that the long running left-back issue will need addressed in two months time.
The Daily Mail reports:
Barcelona are considering a shock move to cut Alex Valle’s Celtic loan short in January.
Catalan journal El National.cat claim the Catalan giants have been impressed by the left back’s impact in Glasgow.
And, concerned by the form of Alejandro Balde, president Joan Laporta and Hansi Flick are now considering an offer to compensate Celtic for cutting his 12-month loan deal short and taking the 20-year-old back to the Camp Nou in January.
Loan deals are never regular with a variety of options involved with either club capable of cutting short a season long deal in January.
Valle stepped in for Taylor at half-time away to Borussia Dortmund, over the subsequent matches he looked increasingly comfortable with Celtic’s style of play and the physicality of Scottish football.
Having scouted the position through the summer it looks like Celtic will have to review that area of the team with the return of an on form Alexandro Bernabei from Internacional open as an option.
Bernabei may be scoring goals for fun in Brazil (and I’m delighted for him) but the thought of him as our left back is an uncomfortable one. It cost us an entirely unnecessary equaliser at home to Kilmarnock last winter when he replaced Taylor and the tactical genius that is Del McInnes correctly identified him as the weakest link defensively and bombarded us down that side of the pitch and got their reward for it. He seems to lack the basic spacial awareness required to play at full back.
I don’t believe this. Barcelona don’t have any place to register him. In January they need to find place for players like Olmo. They maybe want to, but they will be struggling to register him.
I don’t believe it either mate, papers looking to pish on Celtic’s chips as usual. It was EPL enquiries about Kuhn the other day, and I’ll wager will be Hatate linked away next before we know it, hurting hun bastards.
An early recall option has to be written into the agreement, and I’d be surprised if it was even considered when the deal was struck. He’s on loan to put him in the shop window I think, if you’re making it at Barca from their academy then you’re in the first team at 17 these days! haha
Ed and Watsamata, that’s exactly what I thought, probably bullshit.
It’s the Daily Mail FFS, another Celtic-trashiing, right-wing arsewipe.
Oh, and guess which SPFL Chairman favours that rag? Yup, Peter Fukkin Lawwell about as far removed from true Celtic supporters as is possible.