BLUNDERING Boli Bolingoli was on the brink of a loan deal to Middlesbrough before his inexplicable actions brought Celtic’s season to a halt.
The Hoops’ Premiership game against St Mirren was cancelled due to the Belgian defender’s secret trip to high-risk Spain and his return as he ignored the government’s self-isolation rules.
He played nine minutes of the 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday before his jaunt was revealed.
The champions’ home match against Aberdeen, which was due to be played on Saturday, has also been called off.
Veteran boss Neil Warnock has revealed he tried to sign the 25-year-old left-back, who cost £3million when he arrived from Vienna Rapid last summer.
The Boro gaffer wanted Bolingoli before the sensational news blew up about his selfish hush-hush one-day journey to Malaga without anyone’s knowledge at Parkhead.
Warnock, speaking to talkSPORT, said: “I rang Celtic last week to try and get Bolingoli on loan, good job we didn’t get him.”
Asked if he would go back in for him now, he replied: “No, I don’t think so.”
Warnock also admitted he felt sorry for stunned Neil Lennon because managers and clubs can’t be expected to look after players 24/7.
He added: “I would have a chat with the lads, like I have anyhow, and just say: ‘You’ve got a responsibility at the club, you represent the club, but you also represent your family’.
“You’ve got to trust them, you can’t watch them every minute of the day, so when they do let you down you jump on them, but you’d be disappointed really because they let you down after you spoke to them.”
The UK transfer market will remain open until October 5 and there is still a chance of Bolingoli being shipped out with the likelihood he will never kick another ball for Celtic.
