Jack Hendry has decided to sign a permanent contract with Oostende rather than opt for a return to Celtic at the end of his loan spell with the Belgian side, according to a report today. Oostende agreed an option to buy clause with Celtic last summer when taking the former Dundee defender on loan after he had fallen out of things at Celtic.
Hendry, according to 90min.com signed a contract at Oostende at the weekend but is still expected to be sold to an English Premier League side, presumably with his agent organising an enhanced cut of any deal for the Scotland defender.
Hendry rebuild his career during a successful season in Belgium and he was even voted the Best Player in their top division, amid interest from Premier League clubs. There is a good chance that Oostende have completed the permanent signing For Celtic, believed to be for around £1.5m before flipping the defender on straight away with a £10m move to the Premier League.
Reports Jack Hendry has committed to joining Oostende permanently after the Belgian side are about to exercise their option to sign him following his loan from @CelticFC If true I wish him well in his next adventure. HH pic.twitter.com/s9gcCldFXU
— Celtic Gossip (@CelticGossip) June 1, 2021
Hendry, who is in Steve Clarke’s squad for the Euros, probably felt that his unhappy time at Celtic where his confidence was shot as sections of the support turned him into a whipping Bhoy, coupled with the current extreme uncertainty at the club at the moment, combined to make his decision an easy one.
Burnley, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Leeds have all been scouting the 26-year-old Celtic , as have West Brom and Sheffield United. However you can’t be too critical of Celtic on this one, after the player clearly was not in the plans at Celtic and most supporters were happy enough to see him go out on loan, with the best possible option being that this would be a success and Oostende would want to take up their option (in the way Marseille won’t with Olivier Ntcham).
So wherever Hendry ends up the best of luck to him. I watched him closely in his recent start for Scotland and while he has regained some confidence he’s probably not going to be at the level we’re looking for at Celtic.
READ THIS…“Congrats Jackie Boy,” Oostende Delight as Celtic’s Jack Hendry named Best Player in Belgian Pro League
🗣️ ‘I’ve got high ambitions – I want to be in the starting group come the tournament’
Scotland defender Jack Hendry on his aims for the Euros 🏴 pic.twitter.com/TY5tqLpR6b
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) May 31, 2021
Could end up a top class centre back, never given a proper chance at CELTIC, another one we’ll probably regret.