BRENDAN RODGERS is facing a defensive dilemma in the next transfer window.
The Celtic manager could lose the impressive Alex Valle who started the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final 6-0 win over Aberdeen at the weekend before making a 68th-minute substitute appearance in the 3-1 Champions League triumph over RB Leipzig last night.
The loan Bhoy, who signed a season-long temporary contract in the summer, is in line for an unexpected recall by parent club Barcelona, according to a report in the Daily Mail.
They state the Spanish side are “considering a shock move to cut Alex Valle’s Celtic loan short in January.
“Catalan journal El National.cat claim the Catalan giants have been impressed by the left-back’s impact in Glasgow.
THE ITALIAN JOB…Alex Valle in action during Celtic’s goalless draw against Atalanta in Bergamo.
“And, concerned by the form of Alejandro Balde, president Joan Laporta and Hansi Flick are now considering an offer to compensate Celtic for cutting his 12-month loan deal short and taking the 20-year-old back to the Camp Nou at the turn of the year.”
The loss of Valle, who has settled in well at the champions, would undoubtely be a blow for the Hoops manager who scoured the market in the summer for a suitable back-up for Greg Taylor who is out of contract at the end of the season.
The Scotland international defender has been hampered with injury problems in recent months and the Barca prospect has proved a more than capable deputy.
Valle played in the scoreless stalemate against Atalanta in Bergamo last month and admitted he was “enjoying it in Glasgow” in a CQN report last month.
Rodgers must now be hoping Barcelona find another solution to their left-back problem without giving him an unscheduled headache in January.
FIREWORKS FROM ROCKET MAN KUHN
