MARIAN SHVED has joined Belgian side KV Mechelen on a season long loan. The 23-year-old Ukrainian winger signed in the January transfer window of 2019 and was loaned back to Karpaty Lviv. Since joining up with his Celtic teammates a few months later, Shved has only mustered three appearances – scoring once.
Hopefully this move will allow him to showcase his talents so that he can force his way into the Celtic team next year. The Belgian side are currently first in the Belgian Pro League after two games and Celtic confirmed the departure on the club website.
Although the Belgians are claiming that they have the option to buy in the contract, something that Celtic haven’t explicitly said.
It was reported back in May by the Daily Record that a potential exit on loan for Shved to Spanish side Deportivo Lugo failed as Celtic blocked the move preferring an opportunity for Shved to speak English.
Lugo’s Ukrainian defender Vasyl Kravets revealed that his compatriot almost joined but Celtic would have preferred a move to improve his English.
“Marian almost signed for us on loan in the last transfer window. He was happy to come here.
“But Celtic blocked the move. They wanted him to sign for a team that was closer to Glasgow.
“He would only be allowed to move to a team where he could communicate in English, so the deal was off.”
However, another possible reason for Shved not going out on loan was that Mikey Johnston got injured two days before the window slammed shut. The winger was injured at McDiarmid Park and with Moi Elyounoussi tentatively returning to action, Neil Lennon would have been unwise to let an attacking option leave the club with just one winger.
