As the business end of the season approaches, Celtic are ready to play a Scottish Cup semi-final and officially secure the league title. So, the fans have plenty to look forward to. They’ll also be turning one eye towards the summer transfer window. Recent talk has been of plenty of new signings to freshen up the squad.
That also means the likelihood of some players leaving. Fans will always hope the club can retain the top players but recognise that some departures are inevitable. Ideally, they’ll come from those who no longer have an obvious future with the Hoops. That puts Luis Palma firmly on the preferred exit list, but one possible route for him now seems to be shutting down.
Palma has been out on loan at Greek side Olympiacos since the winter transfer window. It was a sensible move, as he wasn't getting much game time at Celtic this season. He’d made a promising start at Parkhead when he first joined from Aris FC in August 2023, but that faded away as he struggled to make an impact on the pitch.
The loan deal has a €4m buyout option for the Greek side to sign Palma on a permanent basis. That fits neatly with recent news noting that the Honduran winger has indicated he’d like to remain with Olympiacos rather than return to Celtic under the management of Brendan Rodgers.
Palma return to Celtic unlikely as Greek deal falters
For Palma though, the story may be about to become a Greek tragedy rather than the happy ending he is looking for. An EDN TV tweet indicates that Olympiacos will not exercise its option for the Honduran winger at the end of the season.
It’s hard to see a way back at Celtic for the player, he’s had his chances previously and talk of wanting away won’t have helped him. A possible move to Dynamo Kyiv was also mentioned recently, but that was denied almost as quickly as it appeared.
There will be other clubs interested in him for sure. The challenge for Celtic will be at what kind of a transfer fee. The Olympiacos option gave the Hoops a chance to recoup most of what they shelled out for Palma. He may now have to go on the cut-price list to secure a deal this summer.