Celtic find themselves in a great position right now, having enjoyed consistent success over the past couple of seasons under the management of Ange Postecoglou. It is important though that they do not let their best players leave in the summer transfer window, despite them being linked with moves away from Parkhead.
There are some players that Celtic need to keep at Parkhead. On the other hand, there are some others who they can afford to let go. Vasilis Barkas falls under the latter category.
Barkas was signed from AEK Athens back in the summer of 2020 for a transfer fee believed to be around €5 million, with hopes that he would be the long-term solution between the posts for Celtic. That did not turn out to be the case, and after a couple of unsuccessful seasons at Parkhead, he was sent out on loan.
Currently, Barkas finds himself away on loan at FC Utrecht. To be fair to him, he has done a fantastic job there. And not only do the Dutch club want to sign him, but others as well.
Club confirm they want to sign €5 million Celtic player
As reported by The Scottish Sun, FC Utrecht owner Frans van Seumeren said:
"“As a club, we are doing everything we can to keep Vasilis Barkas here, but it is a difficult issue.“Not least because there are now other clubs also interested after his successful season.”"
Despite Barkas’ great form this season while away on loan in the Dutch top flight, it looks unlikely that Celtic would have long-term plans for him. As a result, this summer might be the perfect time for the club to part ways with him on a permanent basis.
Following his form at FC Utrecht, it looks like there will not be any lack of interest in the signature of Barkas either. Now, it remains to be seen what kind of offers come in for the goalkeeper. This is a better scenario than anything Celtic could have hoped for though.