It was a sad ending to the season for Celtic. They lost the Scottish Cup final at the hands of Aberdeen, merely weeks after defeating them 5-1 in their own backyard. The absence of players like Jota and Reo Hatate was clearly felt in what was a poor performance from Brendan Rodgers' side. And we'd be lying if we said that this was a display that came out of the blue.
Celtic have been off the pace for months now. Their last impressive performance was the one against Bayern Munich away at the Allianz Arena. Other than that, they have not done much to sit up and take notice.
The league title race has been practically over for months. So, it was easy to paper over the cracks when the bad performances came in the Premiership, including a three-game winless run against the Rangers. And even the League Cup final, they won by the skin of their teeth.
It is pretty clear that a cycle is coming to an end for this Celtic squad. They need a refresh and hopefully, Rodgers will be back in this summer transfer window. Otherwise, do not expect to see him extend his deal with the club.
Sky Sports confirm Celtic interest in Belgian player
Celtic have been linked with quite a few players over recent months. Who will they end up making a move for though?
As reported by Sky Sports, Celtic could make a move for Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha. He has been highly recommended by club scouts.
The Belgian winger has been linked with a move to Celtic going back to the previous summer transfer window. But a move has not materialised so far. It remains to be seen if the Hoops end up going back for him or come up with some fresh transfer targets.
This has been an injury-riddled campaign for Balikwisha. He has had to deal with a variety of issues and as a result, we have not seen his best.
That being said, Balikwisha has shown flashes of his quality, especially since the Jupiler Pro League Champions' Play-offs began. In nine appearances, he has scored three goals and provided three assists.
With Jota expected to remain out of action for the next six to nine months, Celtic need someone to take his spot in the squad. At 24 years of age, and having played a ton of football for the Belgian youth national teams, Balikwisha would certainly be an intriguing option.