OSAZE URHOGHIDE is on his way back to Celtic when his season-long loan at KV Oostende expires at the end of the season.
The Belgian club insist they can’t afford the versatile Dutch defender, who joined the Hoops on a free transfer from Sheffield Wednesday in July 2021.
Urhoghide was recruited at the same time as Hillsborough team-mate midfielder Liam Shaw with both moves being agreed before Ange Postecoglou took over the club the previous month.
The 22-year-old right-back or centre-half also spent the second part of the previous campaign at Oostende.
DEBUT BHOY…Osaze Urhoghide powers past a Real Betis opponent on his first Celtic start in the 3-2 Europa League win over the Spaniards at Parkhead in December 2021.
Coincidentally, he and Shaw both made their first-team debuts for the Hoops on the same evening when Postecoglou’s side beat Real Betis 3-2 in a Europa League tie five months their joint arrival. The playmaker is currently on loan at third-tier Morecambe.
Urhoghide has made 27 league appearances for the struggling Pro-League outfit who are caught up in a relegation battle.
Oostende have the option to make the temporary switch permanent, but, according to local media outlet Nieuwsblad, they will not be pursuing the youngster in the summer as they believe he is “too expensive”.
Head coach Dominik Thalhammer has a massive summer rebuild on his hands, but it appears Urhoghide will not figure in his plans.
The Rotterdam-born utility player is under contract at the champions until June 2025.
