Nicolas Kuhn is set to leave Celtic for Como FC in a €19 million transfer deal this summer. That transfer saga has concluded much faster than anybody could have anticipated, as the Hoops have a habit of letting things drag on. The German winger's impending departure means that the Scottish champions will need to bring in a replacement. Unsurprisingly, they have been linked with a variety of names.
Could we see Celtic revive their interest in a player who had been on their radar in January before signing a contract extension? Yes, we are talking about none other than Louie Barry.
Celtic were being linked with Barry once again this summer, but that was before Aston Villa agreed a £3.5 million deal with Hull City. It looked like that was the end of this saga. Yet, there is another twist in the tale and one that nobody could have seen coming.
As reported by The Athletic, Hull City have been handed a three-window transfer ban by the English Football League. An agreement had been reached for the Championship club to sign Barry in a permanent £3.5m deal but their failure to clear debts already owed to Aston Villa means that those plans have been shelved.
Celtic transfer saga takes last-minute U-turn due to ban
That opens up another window of opportunity for Celtic to swoop in and sign Barry. Of course, that is if the Hoops even want the opportunity to do that.
Barry does tick a lot of boxes that Celtic look for when it comes to signing players. He is 22 years of age and has an impressive pedigree, having spent time at Aston Villa and Barcelona. He also seems to be available for a very reasonable transfer fee.
But then, we have never seen him deliver at a level higher than the English League One. Will he be able to make the adjustment to life at a club like Celtic, where the expectation is to win pretty much every game domestically and impress in Europe?