As we reported last week loan-signing Moritz Jenz in to leave Celtic, returning to his parent club Lorient in France to consider options of moving back home to Germany to play his football. The defender is unhappy at the lack of game-time at Celtic, having not featured in the Celtic side since early November. Scott Burns in Daily Record today provides the latest update on the former Fulham youngster’s time at Celtic coming to an end.
Jenz joined Celtic in the summer on a season long loan and certainly hit the ground running with a few early goals at Ross County and Kilmarnock as the centre-back become a popular member of the Celtic squad. And due to Carl Starfelt’s early season injury problems Jenz was heavily involved in the club’s Champions League campaign were he performed well.
However the return to fitness of the first-pick Carl Starfelt and the arrival of left-sided central defender Yuki Kobayashi has left both Jenz and also Stephen Welsh on the sidelines, with the Celtic Academy graduate also having been mentioned for a possible move in the January widow as the former Scotland Under 21s captain also eyes first team football.
Jenz has not featured in Ange Postecoglou’s squad over the past few games and has not played since before the World Cup. While Celtic have an option to buy in the deal with Lorient, and the player previously indicating his wish to remain at Celtic, it looks like the incredibly fierce competition for places has been the decisive factor with the player the Celtic fans affectionately called ‘Big Mercedes’ looking like he’s heading home to Germany.
We certainly wish Moritz all the best and are sorry to see him go.
🇩🇪 | Moritz Jenz
German centre-back Moritz Jenz will leave Celtic returning to parent club Lorient.
The 23 year old hasn’t featured since early November & will leave due to a lack of football with options of playing in his native Germany.
[@ScottBurns75] pic.twitter.com/9dniMmLsPs
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) January 24, 2023
A very likeable guy but the correct decision for both sides to cut ties.
Jenz isn’t our player & I don’t think we’ve seen enough to justify spending a few million on him so it’s only right to give his minutes to Kobayashi.
Wish him all the best 💚 pic.twitter.com/BsnTnSyTBg
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) January 24, 2023
