Former Celtic defender Jack Hendry is on the verge of completing a permanent transfer from Belgian Jupiler Pro League side Oostende to rivals Club Brugge in a deal worth £6m. Hendry, who was voted as the Jupiler Pro League’s Player of the Year last season, only completed his transfer from Celtic to Oostende two months ago after the Belgian side took up their option to buy the former Dundee defender.
Celtic received their transfer fee paid to the Dens Park club – around £1.75m – back in that deal but were powerless to prevent any sell-on deals that Oostende had in the offing, with initial interest from West Brom. However according to a report in Daily Record this morning, Hendry looks like heading to Champions League qualifiers Club Brugge and that means he’s set to come face to face with Paris St Germaine and Lionel Messi…
Lionel Messi during the French championship Ligue 1 football match between Stade de Reims and Paris Saint-Germain on August 29, 2021 Photo Mehdi Taamallah
What could possibly go wrong?
Hendry was signed by Brendan Rodgers and was through various circumstances and controversies at the club, thrown in at the deep end as a Celtic player, often playing out of position at right-back. And he was targeted by the boo-Bhoys within our support and given a very hard time on social media in particular, resulting in a complete loss of confidence.
He went to Melbourne on loan but after making a great start suffered a long term injury in his third game in Australia and on return to full fitness was once again loaned out by Celtic who reckoned that getting the £1.75m back was just about as much as could realistically be hoped for. Hendry forced his way back into the Scotland national side and was involved in Steve Clarke’s group stage appearance at the European Championships.
Hendry recently spoke about the lack of contact from Celtic last season that convinced him that he had no future at the club.
