Oliver Abildgaard’s agent admits a return to Denmark may be on the cards with AaB Aalborg expressing their interest in the seldom-seen Celtic loanee, as reported by Danish publication BOLD.
Abildgaard was only ever likely to be a short-term solution to Celtic’s defensive midfield issues. Even still, his time in green and white Hoops looks set to come to an end even earlier that was initially expected.
Brought in on loan from Rubin Kazan to provide some much-needed cover for talismanic captain Callum McGregor, the Denmark international has played just 67 minutes of Premiership football, and could now see his Parkhead contract terminated ahead of schedule.
According to RB Sports, Celtic are looking to terminate Abildgaard’s deal before the February deadline.
“There is interest from Denmark,” says agent Christian Henriksen. “But also many other countries. So we are not afraid that we will not find a good club for him.
“As it looks right now, the arrow points towards him staying abroad (instead of returning to Rubin Kazan). But we are not ruling anything out.”
Celtic’s Oliver Abildgaard could return to Denmark with Aalborg BK
Abildgaard, a summer target for Nottingham Forest, has struggled to adapt to Ange Postecoglou’s possession-heavy style at Celtic. Even during McGregor’s injury-enforced absence in the autumn, Postecoglou opted to field the more technically gifted Aaron Mooy or Matt O’Riley in the number six role.
Abildgaard started his career at Aalborg BK back in 2015. And the Superliga outfit would relish the opportunity to bring their prodigal son back home.
“We often talk to Oliver. We pretty much do that with all former AaB players,” says director Thomas Baelum. “He a high level above us, and I can’t blame him for investigating what possibilities are on the shelf.
“But if the opportunity arises, we are of course completely ready to talk to him. He is a fantastic player and a fantastic person. But I think he is in a different place in his career right now.”
Abildgaard has fallen even further down Celtic’s pecking order following Postecoglou’s latest J-League raid; Tomoki Iwata arriving on loan from Yokohama F Marinos.
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