You can fully understand why the buying team will want the option to buy included in any loan deal, but it’s something that the selling side should look to avoid at all costs.
All it does is limit the amount of money you can sell the player for if they suddenly blossom, and it does look like Celtic could face that situation with Jack Hendry.
In fairness he wasn’t anywhere close to the first team this season so his loan move to Belgium was merely a chance to put him in the shop window, but he’s been outstanding for Oostende.
He’s been so good that there are suggestions that Premier League clubs are now starting to circle, and it’s hard to figure out if Celtic have any leverage in this at all.
READ MORE: Jock Stein’s transfer market dealings examined by Celtic historian David Potter
The report indicates that Oostende have the option to buy him for £2m at the end of the season – not an obligation – so that fully suggests that Hendry has the final say on agreeing terms and actually finalising that transfer.
The problem is that his future looks like it will lie elsewhere regardless of that option being triggered, and it’s reported that several Premier League sides are willing to pay up to £10m to bring him in.
The issue for Celtic is Oostende can sign him and immediately flip him – but they could miss out on as much as £8m if those price tags are correct and presuming Celtic haven’t included a sell-on clause in that purchase option.
It’s obviously far from ideal for the club when that money could fund two or three top quality signings, but you also have to wonder if Hendry might have some unfinished business in Glasgow.
Part of the reason for his form this season has been that he’s been left to get on with defending and being a commanding presence at the back, so he would need to be paired with someone who is comfortable on the ball or his flaws could be exposed again.
That does suggest that he and Ajer could be a very good partnership and there’s always the possibility that he wants to return to Celtic and consider his options from there, but you can already see the club getting panned if they do lose out on a significant sum as a result of that loan agreement.
10 million is never going to happen be real, this was agreed as we wanted rid of him and at that time 2 million was a good deal.To think we were reported to be selling Eddie in the Media for 12 to 15 million and going to get 10 million for Hendry is Jackanory stuff, most of us live in the real world and we will wait and see how this plays out.
nobody is paying £10m for Jack Hendry