Luis Palma’s loan spell at Lech Poznań continues to gather momentum, but whether the Polish side can afford to keep him permanently remains far from certain.

The Honduran winger has hit strong form since leaving Celtic on a season-long loan in the summer.

He has produced six goals and five assists in total – four goals and four assists in the league, with a further two goals and one assist coming in the Conference League.

Anyone reading CeltsAreHere Extra Time’s weekly youth and loan round-ups will already know how consistently impressive he’s been in Poland.

He added to his tally again at the weekend, registering an assist in Lech Poznań’s 4–1 victory over Radomiak Radom. His performances have quickly made him one of the standout players in Ekstraklasa this season and a clear fan favourite.

Lech have an option to buy built into the loan deal, though the exact figure has been the subject of mixed reports. Early claims suggested a fee of around €4.5 million, but more recent reporting from Poland indicates the clause may be slightly lower. Even then, it would represent a significant outlay.

Polish outlet Meczyki.pl say Lech are already trying to work out how they could structure a permanent deal, but money remains a major obstacle.

Triggering Palma’s option would almost double their club-record transfer fee, currently sitting at a little over €2 million for Patrik Walemark. The report states that the club would need to be creative financially to make a deal happen.

For now, Palma’s focus is clearly on his football, and his form is only making the decision more pressing for both clubs. Celtic will certainly have taken note, and if his numbers keep rising, the option to buy may begin to look like a bargain for Lech, even if it stretches their budget to the limit.