Celtic Ready to DUMP Star Who’s Begging for a Fresh Start
Celtic could be preparing to part ways with one of their squad members during the January transfer window, according to the latest reports filtering out of Parkhead.
The situation has been building for weeks, and the signs are now impossible to ignore.
A player who arrived with genuine promise has found himself pushed to the very fringes of the first-team picture,
and the club appear increasingly open to letting him move on if the right opportunity arises.
The issues began to surface after a particularly difficult European night earlier in the campaign.
A performance that many observers ranked among the poorest of his career left him exposed to heavy criticism, some of which crossed the line into personal territory.
Fans were already frustrated after the side surrendered a commanding lead in a crucial Champions League playoff tie, and the individual display became a lightning rod for that anger.
What followed was a difficult period both on and off the pitch.
Since then, opportunities have dried up almost completely.
Across all competitions this season the player has managed only a handful of appearances,
and in recent league fixtures he has been left out of the matchday squad entirely for four consecutive games.
A brief six-minute cameo from the bench against Falkirk offered little more than a token appearance.
Under the current management, his role has been reduced to emergency cover at best, with no clear pathway back into regular rotation.
For all practical purposes, the writing is on the wall. Celtic are understood to be willing to sanction a departure in January provided a suitable replacement can be identified. The situation is no longer sustainable for either party.
A player with years left on his contract is currently contributing almost nothing, while the club continues to operate with a midfield that has repeatedly been exposed against stronger opposition.
That midfielder is Luke McCowan. The 28-year-old’s contract runs until 2028, but both sides would clearly benefit from a clean break.
McCowan has been frozen out for weeks and months after that Champions League second leg against LASK, a night that marked a sharp downturn in his Celtic career.
The criticism that followed was intense, and while some of it was unfairly personal, the performance itself left little room for defence. From that point the trust appeared to evaporate.
Martin O’Neill has shown no inclination to restore him to a meaningful role. Four straight league games without even a place on the bench underlined the manager’s stance.
The six minutes against Falkirk felt more like a box-ticking exercise than a genuine opportunity. In a squad competing on multiple fronts, there is little room for passengers, and McCowan has effectively become one.
Football Insider’s reporting that Celtic are prepared to offload him in January, subject to finding a replacement, aligns with everything visible on the pitch.
We noted only a couple of weeks ago that he looked the most likely senior player to be allowed to leave in the winter window.
His limited involvement and the strained relationship with sections of the support made that conclusion straightforward.
Celtic’s midfield has been a persistent weak point. Against tougher European opponents the side has been repeatedly overrun in the centre of the park.
The lack of control, physicality and progressive quality has been obvious. A genuine starting midfielder is required, yet Celtic’s transfer history suggests that identifying the need and actually addressing it are two different things.
The club often talk a good game in the market and then settle for something less.
One name that continues to surface is Torino’s Gvidas Gineitis. The young Lithuanian international was linked heavily with a move to Parkhead late in the summer window before negotiations ultimately broke down over price. Gineitis has endured a difficult start to the current season himself, seeing his own role reduced and publicly admitting that his form has been disappointing.
Whether Celtic still view him as a viable target remains unclear, but the fact that talks reached an advanced stage previously suggests there is still some interest. A late-window deal that collapsed once could yet be revived if the numbers become more favourable.
Any January spending will, of course, be shaped by Celtic’s progress in the Europa League. An early exit from the league phase would tighten the budget and force greater prioritisation.
Even so, the need for midfield reinforcement is clear enough that some investment is expected.
If the club can secure a player capable of starting regularly and simultaneously move McCowan on, the net effect would be an obvious upgrade in both quality and squad balance.
From McCowan’s perspective, a fresh start is now essential. At 28 he still has several good years ahead of him, but only if he is playing regularly. Sitting on the fringes at a club of Celtic’s size and intensity is a career dead end.
A move to a side where he can reclaim a starting role would benefit him far more than another six months of sparse appearances and lingering negativity.
Celtic, for their part, would free up wages and a squad place while addressing a position that has been a clear vulnerability.
The midfield has not been good enough, full stop. European nights have exposed the lack of steel and quality, and domestic matches have sometimes shown the same soft centre. Bringing in a proper starter while removing a player who has struggled to meet even the current standard is the logical step.
Whether the club follow through remains to be seen.
Transfer windows at Celtic can be unpredictable, and the gap between what the side needs and what is actually delivered has been a recurring theme. Still, the signs around McCowan are unambiguous.
He has been frozen out, the manager does not appear to rate him highly for regular football, and the club are now actively open to offers.
A departure in January would close a difficult chapter for the player and open the door for Celtic to strengthen an area that has cost them points and European progress. For both parties, it increasingly looks like the right call.
The only remaining questions are whether a suitable buyer emerges and whether Celtic can land the midfield upgrade that would make the whole exercise worthwhile.