Vakoun Issouf Bayo scored again in France last night, taking the Ivorian’s goal contribution to six for 2021 and begging the question, does he have a future at Celtic? The striker, on a season long loan with Toulouse (who sit second in Ligue 2), will be hoping that the game time in France will result in exposure for potential suitors and potentially a return to Celtic.
🇨🇮 | Vakoun Issouf Bayo
Celtic loanee Vakoun Issouf Bayo continued his fine form since the turn of the year tonight scoring the third as his Toulouse side saw off Ajaccio 3-0.
That's the sixth goal contribution in 2021 for the 24 year old Ivorian. pic.twitter.com/KQdBaHSOIZ
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) February 15, 2021
Injuries hampered his progress in Glasgow with the 24-year-old missing preseason before returning to fitness in time to sign for the Ligue 2 side. Two goals on his debut will have helped him get some confidence back. He has built on from that start and is regaining form in France. This purple patch in form will do the world of good for his confidence, which will have been hampered by a lack of game time and fitness in recent seasons. However, there may very well be a new manager in charge come next season when he may be asked whether he wants to return to Celtic or stay in France.
A dubious red card in the Europa League curtailed the progress that he had made to get into Neil Lennon’s reckoning before an injury ruled him out until after the winter break. Bayo was signed in January 2019, meaning he has been at Celtic for over two years already, yet has managed just 16 appearances. In that time he has scored twice (4 time if we include those that were given as own goals but are disputable) in his 364 minutes of action.
At times this season, Celtic have missed a focal point in attack with Odsonne Edouard, Albian Ajeti, Patryk Klimala and Leigh Griffiths all struggling to fit the bill of a ‘target man’. Ivan Toney, who was heavily linked with a move to Celtic in the summer, has been a revelation at Brentford scoring freely but interestingly, he has appeared to be a threat in the air – something that the team have missed against stubborn opposition.
