As we approach the January transfer window, the rumours surrounding Celtic are starting to pick up pace. The club have been linked with a long list of players in recent times, both going forward and in defence. On the other hand, there are also a few who could be heading out, whether permanently or on loan, in search of playing time.
Midfield has emerged as one area where Celtic could do with another option. Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate have been inconsistent in recent times while Arne Engels has never really impressed since his club-record move in the summer.
Carney Chukwuemeka is someone who has been linked with a move to Celtic in recent times. The midfielder has impressed in the past but has rarely gotten any chances since the arrival of Enzo Maresca as the manager of Chelsea in the summer.
Now, Maresca has hinted that Chukwuemeka is one of the players who could be seeking a Stamford Bridge exit. As reported by 67 Hail Hail, the manager told Chelsea TV:
"There are players that unfortunately didn’t play a lot with us in all the competitions like (Ben) Chilwell, like Carney (Chukwuemeka).
“Probably they are the first [to say] that they want to leave because they train every day, because they want to play games and if they don’t play games probably they are thinking of leaving."
Enzo Maresca drops Chelsea transfer hint amid Celtic links
Chukwuemeka might not be getting a ton of opportunities at Stamford Bridge right now but in the past, we have seen him impress for Chelsea. The issue that he faces right now is that the Blues have some world-class players in that area of the pitch.
They have Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix. Even the latter two, both of whom are high-profile names and full internationals, are not getting enough chances.
Naturally, Chukwuemeka has struggled for minutes and that is not expected to change. So, an exit in January, whether it be on loan or on a permanent basis, would make sense for all parties involved. Could a move to Celtic Park be on the cards? Time shall tell.