VASILIS BARKAS has surprised everyone with his performances in the Dutch league with Utrecht, collecting many man-of-the-match awards.
He’s been superb for the club, who have talked up the goalkeeper’s ability on many occasions. However, despite Barkas starring weekly for the side, they won’t be able to bring him back to the club when his loan expires in the summer.
The goalkeeping coach, who urged the club to sign the Greek keeper, has admitted that Barkas is too expensive for Utrecht, pricing them out of making his loan permanent.
As quoted by The Sun, he said;
“Vasilis Barkas is too expensive for us. That is clear to everyone.
“He cost Celtic around 8 million Euros with add-ons. When I saw he was available in the summer and looked at his data, I couldn’t believe we would have a chance of signing him.
“I strongly advised the club to sign him and I am glad we did.
“At the moment, he is doing great for us and he is in a good place. He is performing exceptionally well. He has been a great addition to the team.”
So, as it stands, Barkas will return to Celtic in the summer.
He could use his brilliant performances in the Eredivisie to push for a spot in the team, especially with a good few years ahead of him, aged just 28. Or, the club could agree on a cut-price deal to see the goalie move on before his contract expires in 2024.
