Former Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata is unlikely to make a return to Celtic Park with Club Brugge. The former Belgian Internationalist has failed to make any first team appearances this season having been relegated to training with the club’s reserves.
As per Belgian outlet Antwerp Gazette, Boyata has been told that he is surplus to requirements at the club. The prospect of Nicky Hayen involving the 33-year-old when the Belgian Champions arrive in Glasgow in late November appears to be very slim.
Boyata was signed from Man City in 2015 as a replacement for Jason Denayer and despite playing in the first team during his debut season, he fell out of the first team picture as Brendan Rodgers took charge only to make an incredible resurgence in 2017 to become a mainstay in the Invincible Treble winning side.
Boyata made 135 appearances for the Scottish Champions, scoring 15 goals and assisting 9 times. He left the club for Berlin on a free transfer after failing to agreeing a deal with Celtic. The player was a consistent performer for Celtic and probably should have been rewarded with a new deal but it appeared as if the club and player were at crossroads with the player expecting to be allowed to make a move to La Liga or the Premier League.
Rodgers outed Boyata as a Celtic wantaway before a crucial game against AEK Athens in The Champions League Qualifiers, a tie which ultimately put Celtic out. At the end of the season, an injured Boyata collected his Premiership medal and remarked that he would have stayed if the circumstances had been different. It is a shame that the player won’t be back to Celtic Park but might have given the player a point to prove against Brendan.