CONFIRMED: CELT PREPARES FOR FAREWELL

DIEGO LAXALT is poised to make one of his last appearances for Celtic in tomorrow’s midday kick-off at Tannadice against Dundee United.

The Uruguayan international left-back answered an SOS from the champions when he arrived on October 5 in a season-long loan deal from AC Milan.

Boli Bolingoli, of course, had been banished from Parkhead after his crazy secret trip to high-risk Spain in early August and broke Covid-19 quarantine guielines when he returned. He was shipped off to Turkey in a temporary transfer which left Neil Lennon with Greg Taylor as his only one recognised candidate for the No.3 position.

Laxalt has made 13 appearances and scored one goal, the last-gasp leveller in the 2-2 draw with Hibs at Easter Road in November.

The 28-year-old defender is likely to get the nod from interim boss John Kennedy to play against Micky Mellon’s side while Scotland international Taylor is once again ruled out with a thigh strain.

However, it is almost certain he will be heading back to the San Siro at the end the campaign with the Serie A aces looking for something in the region of £10million to make his move permanent. He joined the San Siro club for a similar fee from Torino in January last year.

Provisional squad:

Scott Bain, Conor Hazard, Vasilis Barkas, Jonjoe Kenny, Anthony Ralston, Kristoffer Ajer, Stephen Welsh, Shane Duffy, Diego Laxalt, Scott Brown, Callum McGregor, Ismaila Soro, Ewan Henderson, David Turnbull, Ryan Christie, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Mikey Johnston, Odsonne Edouard, Albian Ajeti, Leigh Griffiths, Patryk Klimala and Adam Montgomery.