Luis Palma opens up on his Celtic struggles

Luis Palma has been discussing the massive differences he has encountered playing in Europe compared to starting off his career in Honduras.

The winger was signed by Celtic towards the end of the 2023 transfer window with that batch of players virtually abandoned by the club.

Yang Hyun-jun featured regularly as a substitute last season but other than that there was just four starting appearances between them for Palma and Maik Nawrocki.

Others such as Marco Tilio, Odin Thiago Holm, Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Gus Lagerbielke were sent out on loan with little to suggest that they are returning to Celtic ready to make a first team impact.

Palma did make a strong first impression, including Champions League goals against Atletico Madrid and Feyenoord but from Christmas 2023 his form nose-dived as he drifted out of contention in the Celtic side.

A loan move in January 2025 to Olympiakos failed to work out although he is still involved in the Honduran national squad which finishes the season with World Cup qualifiers against the Cayman Islands and Antigua.

Covering an interview with FIFA, Honduran website La Prensa reports Palma saying:

Well, I noticed it in Greece [the step up in quality], because that’s when I left Honduras directly for Greece.

I went to Aris Thessaloniki and saw the kind of pace they played there. And then when I went to Scotland, to Celtic, playing in the Champions League was incredible, and you realize the pace there is in both Central America and Europe.

The truth is, we’re very far from that elite, but as I said, I hope that in the future we won’t be so far away.

Most supporters would expect Celtic to sign at least one winger during the transfer window, increasing the odds against Palma making a successful return with another loan probably the most likely outcome for the 25-year-old.