Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are set to trim their squad in the January transfer window with Liam Henderson one of the first to go.
Liam Henderson had promised so much when he made his debut for Neil Lennon’s Celtic as a fresh-faced 17-year-old in a 5-0 thrashing of Motherwell four years ago.
Since then, however, one of the most exciting young talents to emerge from Celtic’s academy in recent years has become the club’s forgotten man, farmed out on loan and never looking close to forcing his way into Brendan Rodgers’ first-team plans.
Henderson has played just 35 more games for Celtic since his debut. And, despite an excellent season at Hibernian in 2015/16, where he helped them lift the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902, the Scotland under-21 star looks unlikely to make the grade at Parkhead.
According to The Express, Henderson is not short of options this month. It is understood that Swedish high-flyers Ostersunds, who are set to play Arsenal in the Europa League knockout rounds next month, are keen to sign him – as are Preston North End and Italian side Bari.
Henderson’s contract expires at the end of this season, meaning he could be available for a cut-price fee.
And his potential exit should come as a huge disappointment to Celtic fans who once held such lofty expectations for the Livingston-born talent.
So many young players have emerged through the ranks at Celtic to force their way into the first-team, notably Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston, and it will always remain a nagging frustration that Henderson could not do the same, regardless of his outstanding technical talent.
Rodgers, a keen developer of young prospects, looked like the perfect manager to help Henderson realise his potential. Instead, however, it seems that Celtic have given up hope.
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