Exclusive: Celtic willing to sanction Anthony Ralston deal amid Julian Araujo transfer latest
Celtic may be willing to allow Anthony Ralston to leave the club if he wants more gametime next season, sources have Football Insider.
The right-back is due to enter the final year of his contract this summer, but the Bhoys are reluctant to try and force him out of the door ahead of what would be his twelfth season as a senior player at Parkhead.
However, if the 27-year-old is keen to explore the possibility of a new challenge away from his boyhood club, then sources say that Celtic would be willing to sell him, especially if they opt to explore a permanent move for Julian Araujo.
Ralston hasn’t started a league game in the Scottish Premiership since 3 January, and a permanent deal for Araujo would likely see him fall even further down the right-back pecking order.
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Julian Araujo impact prompts suggestions of permanent pursuit
Araujo has made a big impact at Celtic since he joined on loan from Bournemouth in the early stages of the January transfer window, and he has quickly become a key part of Martin O’Neill’s plans.
The veteran boss has started the 24-year-old in each of the last seven domestic games, and he rewarded O’Neill for the faith that he has shown in him by stepping up to net a dramatic late winner at Kilmarnock last time out.
Araujo’s initial loan deal does not contain a clause to turn his six-month stay at Parkhead into a permanent move, but the impressive start that he has made north of the border has prompted fans to call for the club to explore a permanent deal.
The Mexico international has also left the door open to playing for the Bhoys beyond the end of the season, and that possibility could have a knock-on effect on Ralston.
Alistair Johnson is expected to return from injury before the end of the season, adding even more competition for Ralston ahead of next term.
Celtic at risk of major wage cut
Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson told Football Insider on Monday that Celtic could be forced to oversee a drastic wage cut if they fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.
Failure to finish inside the top two in the Scottish Premiership would see the Bhoys miss out on the prospect of Champions League football for 2026-27, and that is a very realistic possibility at the moment as they battle Hearts and Rangers for the title.
Borson has suggested that the Celtic squad will have a clause in their contracts dictating a change in their wages if they miss out on Europe’s premier club competition.
The Glasgow giants fell to Kairat Almaty during qualifying for this year’s competition, and their participation on that occasion means that members of the squad who were in place at the start of the season could see their wages drop.