Celtic are approaching the time of year where futures need to be clarified and Chris Sutton has put forward four intriguing situations he would like to see resolved.
The Bhoys are already starting to make progress on identifying January targets as Brendan Rodgers gets to work on strengthening his squad.
Earlier this week, 67 Hail Hail revealed that Burnley’s Josh Brownhill is on Celtic’s radar and is available on a pre-contract next summer.
Bronby’s Mathias Kvistgaarden is also a Bhoys’ target, signifying that the manager already has his priorities set out to shape the identity of his squad moving forward.
However, Chris Sutton has rightfully pointed out some in-house decisions that may need to be taken by Celtic before that process can take place.
Chris Sutton’s four Celtic priorities highlighted
Writing in his Daily Record column, Sutton wants to see clarity regarding James Forrest and Greg Taylor’s contract situations at Celtic.
Expanding on his point of view, the future of Alex Valle also came up in conversation alongside Luis Palma’s lack of minutes this season.
He stated: “The Celtic squad is in strong shape but there is always opportunity to build and progress.
You look at the situation at left back with Greg Taylor heading out of contract and Alex Valle on loan until the end of the season. Do Brendan Rodgers and Tisdale step up and recruit a new one in the next window? Are there deals to be done with either – or both?
“You also look at the wide areas, James Forrest has been a superb servant but his contract is running down and he’s 34-years-old in the summer. Then you have Luis Palma, who has really struggled to get into the side this season and could well move on.”
Celtic have plenty of time to decide on player futures
At this stage of the season, performances and results are usually put at the forefront before discussions over the future of certain players commence.
Contrariwise, there is definitely an argument to say some situations are more urgent than others. Taylor will be free to speak to clubs in January about a pre-contract agreement, so the Bhoys have just over a month before that scenario comes into play.
Valle’s current state of affairs will likely be reviewed at the end of the season. Forrest is another you suspect will have time on his side before any decisions are made.
Lastly, Palma has until the New Year at the very least to prove his worth. Exiting in January could be possible, though it all depends on how circumstances align.
