Boli Bolingoli is returning to Celtic but he has ‘no hope of playing’ over the remainder of the season as his proposed loan transfer to FC Ufa collapsed, according to the Glasgow Times.
The Bhoys had agreed to send Bolingoli to the Russian outfit last month to gain the minutes he was not earning at Parkhead under Ange Postecoglou. The Belgian even trained with his proposed new side in Turkey whilst they prepared for the Premier Liga season to resume.
But Ufa have now failed to obtain a work permit for the 26-year-old due to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. So, Bolingoli will have to return to Glasgow and try to force his way into Postecoglou’s plan. But it is highly unlikely that the defender features again this campaign.
Celtic will likely look to move Bolingoli on again at the end of the season after his Ufa loan transfer fell through. But the Bhoys may struggle to sell the left-back, given his lack of game time. The £3m arrival from Rapid Vienna in 2019 will also be in the last year of his contract.
The Hoops handed the former youth international a four year contract upon his capture by Neil Lennon, who called him ‘powerful’. Yet Bolingoli has so far played just 31 games, with a mere two under Postecoglou. His last outing in green-and-white was also on October 16.
Bolingoli has ‘no hope of playing’ at Celtic this season as Ufa loan collapses
Bolingoli’s situation at Celtic after a move to Ufa collapsed is the same as he faced after the summer transfer window. The Athletic reported in September that Postecoglou did not have any intentions of utilising the Belgian in the first-team, even after Greg Taylor’s injury.
It took Josip Juranovic to also miss game time for Postecoglou to ease his stance. But the 26-year-old spurned chances to impress against Livingston and Motherwell. Now, Bolingoli could spend the next few months in the Glasgow wilderness waiting for the market to open.
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