Report: £5m Celtic player closing in on exit, could be a permanent move

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The Daily Record says Vasilias Barkas is edging towards a return to AEK Athens from Celtic this summer. The report claims the under-fire goalkeeper could leave on loan, or on a permanent basis. There is interest from Italian clubs, but he looks set to return to AEK this summer.

Barkas, 27, joined Celtic for a fee of £5million in the summer of 2020 under Neil Lennon. But the Greece international has been woeful in the 12 months he has spent in Glasgow. Playing 22 times last season, Barkas was dropped on numerous occasions despite keeping 11 clean sheets in 2020-21.

The goalkeeper has made just one appearance this season – making a mistake in Denmark against Midtjylland. Since then, Ange Postecoglou has signed Joe Hart from Tottenham for a fee of £1million. The new report states Barkas is edging closer to an AEK return, despite Italian interest.

Barkas needs to leave Celtic

Loan deal, or on a permanent basis. It is just one of those moves that hasn’t worked. Barkas has made numerous high-profile mistakes. He needs to go and join a club where he is given the chance to rebuild his confidence. The vociferous Celtic support will never shake off the mistakes he has made.

He could move to Italy, but the best move for Barkas is to return to Greece. Do Celtic sell permanently this summer for a fee which is likely to be far below the £5million they bought him for – or do they loan him out and hope he rebuilds his value, bringing in more cash next summer?