Deal deal: Celtic sanction temporary defender exit just months after signing deal
Dundee United have signed Celtic right-back Anthony Ralston on an emergency loan, it has been confirmed.
The Scottish Championship club announced on their official Twitter account and official website on Friday afternoon that Ralston, 19, has moved to Tannadice on a temporary deal until the end of the season.
Ralston has barely featured for Celtic in the second-half of the season despite there being many calls for the Scotland Under-21 international to replace Mikael Lustig, whose form has been pretty poor as of late.
The 19-year-old defender has made seven appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys, scoring one goal and two assists.
He was even handed the duty of man-marking Neymar when the Hoops clashed with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stages.
Ralston’s emergence in the senior squad saw him sign a four-and-a-half year deal just a few months ago in December.
After sanctioning Ralston’s temporary exit, Brendan Rodgers is now left with Lustig and Cristian Gamboa as his only right-back options.
Football Insider verdict
It seems odd that Rodgers would let Ralston leave on loan at this stage of the season, especially as he is someone who clearly has something to offer in the first-team. Rodgers has not really taken a look at any of his back-up right-backs recently, even with Mikael Lustig suspended and out of form. Ralston could be the next quality player to come off the academy’s conveyor belt if he is given the chance to impress. Hopefully the Scot comes back from his loan spell at Dundee United massively improved because he’s a player who could really be getting game-time for most other Scottish Premiership clubs.
In other Celtic news, the Hoops are plotting a record-breaking summer swoop for this lethal finisher in the summer.
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