Celtic tell five players they can leave in January as £3.75m man leads exodus

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Celtic are keen to move on up to five players in the January transfer window with Alexandro Bernabei, James McCarthy and Yuki Kobayashi among those not part of the Scottish Premiership champions’ plans. 

While Celtic’s recruitment came in for plenty of praise during the Ange Postecoglou era – and rightly so, considering the success of Jota, Reo Hatate, Kyogo Furuhashi and more – there were a few misses grasping for breath in a sea of hits. 

Alexandro Bernabei, James McCarthy, Yuki Kobayashi, Yosuke Ideguchi and Benjamin Siegrist all moved to Parkhead in the midst of Postecoglou’s reign, and all five have now been told they are free to leave in the New Year. 

Celtic set for January exodus

That is according to Football Scotland, Celtic keen to trim the fat from Brendan Rodgers’ squad. 

Ideguchi has played only three Premiership games for The Hoops. Celtic may be confident of recouping every penny of their £800,000 investment, however, with the one-time Leeds United misfit rediscovering his form on loan at Avispa Fukuoka.

Ideguchi, who was nominated for the J-League’s Player of the Year award recently, is in talks over a permanent move to Fukuoko though Vissel Kobe are throwing their hat into the ring too. 

Ideguchi’s excellent displays back in Japan may have raised hopes of a successful return to Celtic but, with Matt O’Riley, Callum McGregor, David Turnbull, Hatate, Odin Holm, Paulo Bernardo and co already at Rodgers’ disposal, it seems there is simply no room in the Parkhead Inn. 

Bernabei, Siegrist and Kobayashi could all leave

Football Scotland report that Siegrist (Celtic’s third-choice goalkeeper) is also free to leave. Ditto seldom-seen centre-half Kobayashi, who has fallen behind Liam Scales in the pecking order, and forgotten man McCarthy. Bernabei, £3.75 million signing from Argentine outfit Lanus, has been a victim of Greg Taylor’s seemingly never-ending quest for self-improvement over the last 18 months or so. 

Switching focus on outgoings to potential incomings, Rodgers has opened the door for a new centre-forward to join the champions’ ranks after Christmas. Bojan Miovski will cost a Premiership record fee in excess of £4.5 million, with Bologna benchwarmer Sydney van Hooijdonk and Brondby ace Mathias Kvistgaarden also under consideration.