Brendan Rodgers reveals imminent Celtic departure as Kieran Tierney U-turn chances rated - Parkhead transfer bulletin
The Hoops boss is preparing to lose a squad member while Jota will feature against Motherwell
Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Luis Palma could leave Celtic in the coming days.
Talks are ongoing with an unnamed club over a loan switch with an option to buy. The Honduran winger has been linked with Olympiacos in recent days and while Rodgers didn't name any names, he expects a deal to be done before the transfer window closes on Monday. He said: “Yes. There's a possibility for Luis to be leaving. And I would expect that to go through. Loan along with an option, yes.
His spot oin the squad is set to be filled by Jota. The Portuguese made his Parkhead return at the start of this week and while he is in line for his second Celtic debut at Motherwell on Sunday, that's likely to be from the bench given Rodgers' assessment of the new man's sharpness. He explained: "He'll be in the squad. We need to work him back up, both in the training, pitching and in the game. And then we'll just build him up over these coming months. "He's a little bit behind in terms of his fitness, and football fitness, I would say."
As for any new additions over the weekend, Rodgers insists they will still be looking to add. "We're hopeful of improving the squad. I think that is key for us. The players gone out.. We want to keep the strength in the squad. We'll be looking to improve the squad, improve positions, and then we'll see what that brings.
"We've brought in a few. We've brought in Jota, who we're really happy with. He's a great period here. And now he's got a chance to build on that legacy."
As for persuading Arsenal to change their stance on Kieran Tierney being able to sign on loan this month rather than waiting until he signs on a free in the summer, Rodgers offered little encouragement when asked if that was unlikely: "“Yeah, yeah. And I won't speak any more on it. Because Kieran, I said the other night, by the summer, will be a Celtic player. And that's it. And if he's here later in the month, you'll know.
Finally, Alex Valle has spoken for the first time as a Como player. His Celtic loan was ended early with the prospect of Tierney returning this month and he's since joined the Serie A outfit from Barcelona. He said: “I’m delighted to be here and excited about the project being built at Como 1907. I really like the style of play here and I think it suits me well. I spoke with Fàbregas, and he has given me a lot of confidence. I believe we share the same vision. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead and can’t wait to get on the pitch with my new teammates”.
Fabregas added: "Alex is a talented young defender with a solid foundation from his time at Barcelona and valuable experience gained during his loan at Celtic. His ability to contribute both defensively and offensively will be a great asset to our squad.”