Jack Hendry could be in line for a stunning return to Celtic in the summer. Interim Celtic Manager John Kennedy has insisted that the Scotland international defender, currently enjoying a successful season long loan at Belgian side Oostende, could well have a future at the club.
Kennedy has indicated that Celtic may elect to revisit the deal with Oostende, who are eager to take up their option to buy IF they can reach agreement with the player. With strong interest in Hendry from the English Premier League and also a chance to have another crack at making it at Celtic, the former Dundee defender will have plenty to think about over the next few weeks.
Asked if Hendry had a future at Celtic, the interim manager clearly stated that the door for return to Parkhead was on the cards.
“Yes obviously,” Kennedy said, as reported by Daily Record. “Jack came in for a period – it probably didn’t quite work out, he had periods in the team and periods not and then the decision came to put him out to play.”
Hendry was signed by Brendan Rodgers in the January 2018 transfer window and was perhaps unlucky to have been thrust into the side on so many occasions so early in his Celtic career, including crucial European matches against the likes of AEK Athens in the Champions League Qualifier and Red Rull Salzburg in the Europa League. Hendry didn’t hide but ended up being something of a scapegoat with sections of the support and his confidence appeared to nee shattered.
“I will be honest with you, I don’t know the details about the deal in terms of beyond the loan but Jack was at the stage where at his age and his stage of his career he had to get out and play,” Kennedy explained. “We had a number of centre backs who were ahead of him and he recognised that and that we had to come to an agreement to get him out playing.
“It is good that he has done well. We have kept in touch, I have spoken to him several times and he is enjoying himself and playing regularly. It was a decision made at the times based on what we had and where we saw it.
“Again that will be something that will need to be addressed in the summer. I don’t think a decision will be made until then. It will depend on everybody’s situation and how things look and people’s opinions but a conversation will take place probably then.
“Until then he just has to continue to play, get the games under his belt and people will make that decision. Having spoken to him, I know game time is what he has enjoyed most.”
