Bitton has only played for Celtic this season due to a defensive injury crisis – but signing Filip Benkovic in January could force him down the pecking order.
Celtic’s unbeaten domestic run extended to 61 games as they cruised past Aberdeen 3-0 at Pittodrie on Wednesday. The Dons, runners-up in each of the last three seasons, were level on points with the champions at the start of proceedings but there was little doubting the gulf in class between the two sides at the full time whistle.
Celtic were so utterly dominant that Nir Bitton, the midfielder once again playing out of position at centre-half, was barely troubled throughout what looked like The Hoops’ toughest test of the season so far.
And Derek McInnes’ side will no doubt be hugely disappointed that they failed to test a makeshift Celtic backline of Bitton and Dedryck Boyata with first-choice centre-half Jozo Simunovic on the sidelines with injury.
This is not the first time Bitton, a languid and stylish midfielder by trade, has been forced to fill in at the back. But, with Celtic aiming to enhance their defensive options with a new signing in January, you wonder if the club’s injury problems have merely handed the Israeli international a stay of execution.
The Scottish Sun claim Celtic scouted Dinamo Zagreb defender Filip Benkovic in action on Saturday. The Croatian has been on Celtic’s radar since January and, despite previously baulking at the 20-year-old’s £17 million price-tag, appear to be stepping up their search.
And this does not bode well for Bitton. After all, Brendan Rodgers is hardly short of options in midfield and the 25-year-old, who looked set to leave in the summer after falling down the pecking order last season, would have barely played for Celtic in 2017/18 if he wasn’t needed at the back.
In fact, you could argue that it’s Bitton’s versatility that has saved his Celtic career until now. If Benkovic arrives, however, Bitton’s time may be up.
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