By Alan Hutton

24th May, 2023 | 9:49am

Scott Bain could trigger Celtic exodus after unexpected update - pundit

Alan Hutton has suggested Scott Bain’s new Celtic contract could open the door for exits.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Rangers defender said players like Stephen Welsh and Mikey Johnston may have to “look somewhere else”.

According to The Mail (18 May), third choice goalkeeper Bain has put pen to paper on a three-year contract extension at Parkhead.

The 31-year-old’s contract was due to expire next summer and is one of the players that fulfils the Glasgow club’s homegrown quota.

23-year-old Stephen Welsh is under contract at Parkhead until 2025 and is another homegrown talent but has fallen down the pecking order after the arrival of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Yuki Kobayashi.

Fellow Scot Mikey Johnston, 24, is ending off a loan spell at Portuguese side Vittoria Guimaraes and will return to Parkhead next month where his contract runs until 2026.

When asked if Bain’s new contract could open the door for the homegrown players like Welsh and Johnston to leave this summer, Hutton told Footbal Insider: “Possibly.

“These are conversations that are going to have to happen with the manager first and foremost.

“Are they in the plans would be number one, that would by my question moving forward. If not then of course you have to look somewhere else.

“These are young guys that want to play football so to sit for another full season and not really get game time is not ideal for their development and they will need to move on. You need to know if you are in the manager’s plans.“

In other news, Crystal Palace regularly scouting Celtic star.