Celtic forward has 'full agreement in place' for exit after 'turning down' MLS offers
Celtic are reportedly close to finalising their latest player exit this transfer window.
Celtic are closing in on finalising their latest club departure of the summer. The Hoops have been busy on the transfer window so far as they prepare to defend their Scottish Premiership crown once again next season.
Celtic have already parted ways with the likes of Scott Bain and Greg Taylor following the expiration of their contracts, while Nicolas Kuhn was sold to Como for an initial £16.5 million last week.
Luis Palma is now expected to be headed out the door, with the latest reports revealing the club he has opted to join.
Luis Palma set to leave Celtic
Following his loan spell with Olympiacos last season, Palma has been linked with a permanent move away from Parkhead. The versatile forward was handed very limited opportunities prior to his stint in Greece and now he has his sights set on linking up with new teammates for a fresh challenge.
Scottish journalist Anthony Joseph has reported that Polish side Lech Poznan are looking to sign Palma this summer on a season-long loan, with an option to buy him on a permanent basis next summer.
Football Insider has reported something similar but claim the link between Palma ad Lech Poznan is more advanced than just interest and initial conversations. The 25-year-old was left out of Celtic’s training camp in Portugal to allow him time to consider the options available for his future.
According to a report on their site this week, the Honduras international is due to leave the Hoops to sign for Lech on loan. Palma has a ‘full agreement’ in place with the Ekstraklasa outfit and a deal is reportedly set to be ‘finalised soon’.
Luis Palma rejects MLS advances
Lech Poznan have not been without competition for Palma’s signature. According to the FI report, the winger has ‘turned down’ offers from clubs in the EFL Championship, MLS and Turkey’s Super Lig.
Lech will compete in Europe next season with an eye on qualifying for the Champions League, which is naturally a very appealing selling point for the club.
The sale of Palma will mark another significant move from the club during this busy window. Right now, there are a lot of eyes on Celtic Park as former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown suggested Brendan Rodgers could be tempted to ‘walk away’ amid transfer frustrations.
“From what I hear, Brendan Rodgers has been left frustrated more than once,” Brown told Football Insider in June. “He doesn’t think he’s been giving the level of backing that he should be in the transfer market.
“He wants to be ambitious, not just in Scotland but in Europe too, he wants to strengthen his squad so that they stand a chance of competing.
“They’re guaranteed trophies and Champions League football every year whether they spend big or not. That’s what has left Brendan frustrated, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he wanted to walk away.
“The board have to be careful they don’t mess it up, they need to be active and they need to back the manager to improve in the transfer window.”