Celtic have always been a club where players grow, develop their games, and reach their full potential. But while they have successfully turned a number of players into stars over the years, there are also a lot of people who have struggled in the Hoops. Vasilis Barkas is a perfect example of someone who did not show his best while at Parkhead.
Joining from AEK Athens for a transfer fee believed to be around £5 million in the summer of 2020, Barkas appeared to be a promising signing for Celtic. He was a Greek international at that point of time.
Things would not go his way at Celtic though. He struggled to nail down a spot in the first-team and as a result, rotated with the likes of Scott Bain and Conor Hazard in goal. It is safe to say that when the club signed him, they were hoping that he would be a steady presence in goal for years to come.
In the following summer transfer window, Celtic signed Joe Hart, and Barkas barely featured after that. Therefore, the Greek goalkeeper joined FC Utrecht on a season-long loan move this summer.
Celtic loanee receives surprise international call-up
Before joining Celtic, Barkas was starting to make his mark as a first-choice goalkeeper for Greece. But the subsequent dip in form at Parkhead, led to him losing his spot on the national team. Now though, he is back.
As tweeted out by the Greek national team, Barkas has been included in their squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League games.
Greece will play UEFA Nations League matches against Cyprus and Northern Ireland later this month. Celtic star Giorgos Giakoumakis has also been called up for those.
As things stand, it appears that Barkas’ decision to join FC Utrecht on loan has paid off. He seems to be playing his way back into form in the Netherlands. Does he have a long-term future at Parkhead though?