KV Mechelen manager Wouter Vrancken has told Het Laatste Nieuws that Celtic forward Marian Shved wants to re-join the Belgian side after his season-long loan spell expired.
Shved proved a regular at the AFAS Stadion towards the end of last season with the 23-year-old securing a key role in Vrancken’s plans. After playing 54 minutes over his first 15 available games, the Ukrainian only missed four of the following 23 fixtures.
The Celtic winger also had a direct influence over Mechelen’s result whenever Shved got on the scoresheet. He struck his first Jupiler Pro League goal to beat Mouscron, before his brace and assist beat Waasland-Beveren 3-2.
Shved also helped Mechelen hold Anderlecht to a draw, before doubling his side’s lead against Standard Liege come the play-offs. The Celtic player’s praise-worthy efforts led to total returns of five goals and three assists in all competitions, but just missed out on a Europa Conference League place.
The Antwerp outfit had held an option to buy the forward in their loan agreement, per The Scottish Sun. And Vrancken claims the two-cap winger now wants to return to AFAS Stadion for next season, but admits Mechelen are yet to reach an agreement with Celtic for Shved.
“They [Shved and Ferdy Druijf] are eager to come back to play for us,” Vrancken said. “But we have to wait for an agreement at club level. If they come in, then we are in very good shape for this season.”
End to a frustrating Celtic stay for Shved
Mechelen will likely need Celtic to agree a lesser fee for Shved to secure a permanent move, given the Belgian side are yet to use their option to buy him. But they could seek a second loan spell, with the winger under contract at Parkhead until 2023.
Shved sealing a permanent move to Mechelen this summer would mark the end to his frustrating Celtic stay, however. After joining the Hoops from Karpaty for £2m in 2019, the forward has only played three times for the club.
He is yet to even play an hour in green-and-white, either. And Shved told GVA in February that it ‘may not have been the right choice’ to reject interest from Genk to move to Parkhead. A decision he could atone for by leaving for Mechelen if Celtic agree on terms.
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