IT’S make-your-mind-up time for three Celtic players as the transfer deadline looms.
James McCarthy, Yosuke Ideguchi and on-loan Oliver Abildgaard will have decisions to make as the clock ticks down to the Tuesday midnight closure.
The trio have been bit-part players at Parkhead and Ange Postecoglou has admitted it would be best for their careers if they seriously considered a move from the champions to enhance their first-team chances elsewhere.
HOOPS OOPS…Yosuke Ideguchi has failed to impress at Celtic.
The Hoops boss took time off from preparing for this afternoon’s 4pm kick-off against Dundee United at Tannadice and said: “For the guys who are not getting opportunities, it really comes down to them and seeing what the best options are.
“I’m in dialogue with those guys. It’s not about forcing people out, but there is a realism in terms of how much opportunity you get to play.
“If you mention those three guys, they are at an age where the less football they play the fewer options they will have.”
Postecoglou, speaking to the Daily Record, added: “They have to assess what’s best for their careers. We will see what happens in the last days of the window.
“If nothing happens, then they are still part of our group and we will work with them accordingly.
“There are still five days to go and we are always alert. If anything comes up we will see what happens.”
ON THE BALL…Oliver Albidgaard is in control during a rare first-team outing.
McCarthy, 32, joined his boyhood favourites in August 2021 after coming out of contract at Crystal Palace while 26-year-old Ideguchi arrived with Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda from the J-League last January.
Unfortunately, an early injury against Alloa in the Scottish Cup-tie derailed his progress and he has now mainly been on the periphery at Parkhead.
Abildgaard arrived on a season-long loan from Rubin Kazan late in the August window, but the Danish midfield enforcer has not impressed during his sightings in the top side.
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