Brendan Rodgers has left Celtic outcast Nadir Ciftci out of his training camp in Austria.
It appears that Nadri Ciftci’s time is finally up for Celtic.
It’s been clear for some time that the forgotten striker was unlikely to play any part in the club’s future under Brendan Rodgers. And according to the Daily Record, the manager has now taken to leaving Ciftci out of his pre-season training camp in Austria.
As a result, the 25-year-old Turk will spent the summer working on his fitness with the club’s Under-20 squad – unless he finds a new home sooner rather than later.
Ciftci only played five minutes of football in the Scottish Premiership under Brendan Rodgers last season and was farmed out to Polish side Pogon Szczecin in January.
However, he failed to score a single goal in eight appearances in Poland, a dismal spell reaching it’s ‘Nadir’ when he was publically criticised by his new manager.
Final Straw?
“Expectations were high when he arrived, perhaps too high,” Kazimierz Moskal said in quotes reported by the Daily Record.
“He wants to play and help the team, but for now we have to rebuild his fitness and confidence. I believe that Nadir has the skills and will show them in the end, although I accept it hasn’t looked good so far.”
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hasn’t given Nadir Ciftci a chance
What the future holds for the former Portsmouth forward is anyone’s guess. It must be remembered that Ciftci was not gifted a move to Celtic in 2015. Instead, his impressive form in two seasons at Dundee United earned him a chance with the Champions.
And the Daily Record report that both St Johnstone and Motherwell were interested last summer. If he remains in the Scottish Premiership, Ciftci will be hoping he can rediscover the form that made him one of the divisions most feared forwards not long ago.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
