The Celtic player appears close to agreeing a new long-term contract with the club that will see him get a significant wage increase.
It is safe to say that Celtic have managed to steady the ship a bit over the past week with a couple of wins over Lille and Kilmarnock, respectively. After a disastrous run that saw them bag just two wins from twelve games, Neil Lennon’s changes to the line up appear to have done the trick.
David Turnbull and Ismaila Soro have taken most of the plaudits and perhaps rightfully so. The duo have brought a dynamism to the midfield that has been missing this season.
But the contributions of Conor Hazard cannot be overlooked either. The 22-year-old has taken his place between the posts and appeared a lot more solid than his teammates. And it looks like it is enough for the club to hand him a long-term contract with a significant increase in pay.
Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph broke the news on his Twitter:
Celtic are close to agreeing a new contract with goalkeeper Conor Hazard.@SkySportsNews understands the club want to tie him up on a long-term deal with a significant wage increase.
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) December 15, 2020
The Hoops will still assess goalkeeping options in next month's transfer window.
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At the start of the season, not many fans would have expected Hazard to get any significant game time. But now it looks like he is at the top of the goalkeeping pecking order. At least for the time being.
The club spent £4.5 million to bring Vasilis Barkas from AEK Athens in the summer. And it is safe to say that that has not paid off till now. Rumours are that the Greek international has not settled in Scotland yet and that is also showing in his performances for the Hoops. On the other hand, Scott Bain has never looked like someone who can be a regular starter for Celtic.
While Hazard might have the first-team gloves for the time being, it is good to see that the club have not stopped their search for another keeper. There have reports linking them with making a move for Fraser Forster one more time. And it will be interesting to see if that actually ends up happening.