Celtic loanee Luis Palma has told the Hoops that he would like to leave the club permanently after a good loan spell at Lech Poznan.
The winger signed for Celtic on a five-year deal in the summer of 2023, becoming Brendan Rodgers' seventh signing of that season.
Joining for £3.5 million, he failed to make the impact that many hoped for, and after it became clear that things weren't going to work out, he was first sent out on loan to Olympiacos in February 2025. In July of the same year, he was shipped out to Lech Poznan, where he seems to have finally found his home.
Included in that deal is a clause that will allow the club to purchase him for £4 million, with Celtic making a slight profit on the deal. However, that is almost double what Lech Poznan have ever paid for a player, and the team have stated that they would be unable to do it. For a deal to happen, Celtic would need to lower their asking price drastically.
Palma knows it's up to the clubs to find a way for the transfer to go through, but he expressed publicly how eager he is to leave.
Speaking to Canal Plus Sport after a 3-0 victory for his side, he said:
"I hope to stay at Lech for a long time. But it's not just my decision. I'm doing my thing day by day, and I'm very happy about it.
All I can do is keep doing that, but not everything depends on me. I have been a substitute in recent matches, and that's the decision of the manager. But I always have the team's best interests at heart.
I am working hard to get my place back in the team. That's football for you."
A deal needs to happen
Everyone would benefit from Palma moving on from Celtic. In 48 games for the Hoops, he has 18 goal contributions, and although it isn't a bad record by any means, supporters were hoping for more.
With Palma enjoying his football in Poland, bringing him back would undoubtedly have a negative effect on him. He wants to stay, and if he doesn't get that opportunity, he will understandably be gutted.
Some would argue that in our current team, he may be able to win his spot back, but considering he wouldn't be able to come back until the summer, when we can hope we'll be reinforcing, that point seems irrelevant.
Big summer exodus
If Palma does move on in the summer, he certainly won't be the only one.
Aside from players like Tomas Cvancara, Julian Aurajo, Benjamin Arthur, Joel Mvuka and Junior Adamu returning to their parent clubs after their loan deals end, long-term Hoops members like Reo Hatate could also be shown the door.
Last summer signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha could also be a player who Celtic choose to move out, even if it is on loan.
Current loan players Johnny Kenny and Maik Nawrocki may also depart the club on a permanent basis.