Celtic player 'seems sure to leave' club this summer as former Hoops star registers permanent transfer interest
Celtic have a decision to make regarding the future of the player with his situation up in the air
Celtic are back in action on Sunday afternoon in the Scottish Cup. They face an away trip to face Auchinleck Talbot in the fourth round. The Hoops head into the tie off the back of their 1-0 win against Falkirk last time out in the league.
Benjamin Nygren scored their winner at the Falkirk Stadium in the first-half. The Glasgow giants are sat in 2nd place in the Scottish Premiership table after 22 fixtures. They are six points behind Hearts at the summit and are above Rangers on goal difference.
Celtic update emerges regarding Ben McPherson
According to journalist Alan Nixon on his Patreon page, Partick Thistle want to keep Celtic defender Ben McPherson beyond the end of the season. He has done well on loan with the Scottish Championship side over recent times and has caught the eye. Nixon has added that he ‘seems sure to leave’ Celtic Park for good later this year and that there is other interest in him.
McPherson, 21, was given the green light to head out the exit door on a temporary basis by the Hoops last August to get some experience under his belt. He has since made 23 appearances in all competitions, 20 of which have come in the league, and he has enjoyed plenty of game time. His long-term future with his parent club is up in the air though at this moment in time as he shines under former Celtic star Mark Wilson.
The right-back has been on the books at Celtic for his whole career to date. He has risen up through their academy ranks and has been a regular at various different youth levels in the past. Despite featuring heavily for their B team, he is yet to play a competitive match for the first-team.
McPherson’s pathway into the Hoops’ starting XI has been blocked. As well as Partick Thistle, he has also been loaned out to Queen’s Park. He played 24 matches during his time with the Spiders to boost his development.
What now for Ben McPherson at Celtic?
Celtic have a big decision to make about what to do next with McPherson. He is unlikely to play for their senior team so a departure would probably suit everyone involved. A full-time switch to Partick Thistle would make sense for him but they may need to fend off competition from elsewhere for his signature which may well prove to be tricky.
After landing him last year, his current boss Wilson said: “Ben is going to be an excellent addition to our squad here at Thistle. He fits in perfectly with the ethos we have here because of the energy and effort that he puts into the game and, having come through at Celtic, he knows how to use the ball too.
“Like Josh Clarke, it’s not his first loan at this level so he’s got a good idea of what to expect from the Championship but at the same time he doesn’t think he knows everything and is keen to keep learning and developing.”