Vasilis Barkas’ performances will attract suitors as Celtic look to offload ‘keeper

Vasilis Barkas is doing himself no harm with impressive performances in the Netherlands. The Celtic goalkeeper has made 21 appearances for FC Utrecht since joining on loan as they sit 7th in the table.

The 28-year-old left Celtic last summer to join the Dutch side after two seasons of struggle with the Glasgow giants. Since his move, he has impressed so much so that Utrecht’s technical director Jordy Zuidman stating that the goalkeeper is too expensive for the Dutch club.

It is clear that Barkas doesn’t feature in Ange’s plans going forward and the club will look to recoup part of the fee paid out in 2020. The time in the Netherlands will prove that Barkas has regained his confidence and that his time in Glasgow has been a blip.

The goalkeeper joined from AEK Athens in a deal worth £4.5m in the summer of 2020 but Barkas has previously stated that the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time really hampered him. The fall-out of Barkas dropping out of the Celtic team was that he lost his International place but now he has earned his place back in the squad.

Barkas made just two appearances for Celtic last season and found himself down the pecking order at Celtic. The arrival of Hart as well as Scott Bain being given a new deal suggests that the prospect of ever breaking back into the first team is slim. The former £4.5m man will be keen to get his career back on track by sealing a move away from Celtic, it would be in everyone’s best interests if this could be achieved on a permanent basis with some of the outlay returning to Paradise.