Will Celtic’s MLS loan duo ever make it at Parkhead?

After signing two MLS players in 2019, will those players, who are currently on loan, ever make it in wearing the cloth of Celtic?

There are two players Celtic signed in the same January transfer window of 2019 where apart from a friendly pre-season game for one, we’ve not seen much of them since signing. Does the novel coronavirus and 10-in-a-row mean their opportunity has increased or gone?

It was a bit of a surprise all round when on January 31, 2019 Celtic announced the signing of US based players Andrew Gutman and Manny Perez on three and a half year contracts. Both came with a very decent pedigree for their age, with Perez having represented the USA at the U-20 level and recently named player of the year in the USA soccer development academy. Gutman had just been announced as winner of  the Hermann trophy in America, a top award for young college players. Both were immediately loaned back out to US clubs to continue their development.

Recent playing time for both has been limited. As in Europe, US football has been seriously affected by COVID-19. Matches were banned late in March and it is just beginning to open up for training and matches again.

For Major League Soccer (MLS), where Gutman plays, clubs are submitting their individual plans for their return to training and if approved will follow a rigid approach to distancing, testing and training. The MLS is then organising a return-to-play tournament for clubs in Florida during July, but it will be behind closed doors and without fans in attendance. For the USL Championship, where Perez plays, the governing body has just voted on to return to the 2020 season in mid July. Both players could be back in action again soon.

So where are they now and what’s their chances of featuring for Celtic?