VASILIS BARKAS, Celtic’s £4.5million misfit, could be on his way back to AEK Athens on loan.
The Greek international keeper, who has made only two first-team appearances this year, has failed to settle at Parkhead and a return to his homeland is on the cards, as CQN reported earlier this month.
Barkas, the most expensive netminder in the Hoops’ history, is so far out of the picture at Celtic he did not even feature on the substitutes’ bench in the 1-1 draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie last week with Scott Bain in the No.1 position and rookie Conor Hazard on stand-by duty.
AEK are now plotting to bring back the flop shotstopper who still has three years of a lucrative contract to run after his arrival last summer.
The 26-year-old last line of defence, who was axed after the 2-2 draw at Livingston in January, is also on the wanted list of PAOK.
Barkas’ former club are seeking a new goalkeeper with his replacements Panagiotis Tsintotas and Georgios Athanasiadis both heavily criticised with team leaking goals and slumping to fourth place in the league.
Manager Manuel Jimenez, who is now on his fourth spell at AEK, wants Barkas back for next season and is prepared to negotiate a temporary transfer with the Hoops, according to a report in the Daily Record.
The struggling netminder has kept only nine clean sheets in his 20 appearances for Celtic in all competitions and has also lost his place as top pick for the national team.
