Recent Parkhead development phases out Celtic star as January transfer exit predicted
Defender has only accrued three appearances for far this season
Celtic defender Anthony Ralston has been predicted to leave the club in January, following the new deal of fellow full-back Colby Donovan.
The 27-year old Hoops veteran has played a total of 47 minutes this season, behind Donovan and Alistair Johnston in the right back selection pecking order. The former has secured his future at the club until 2031 having put pen to paper on a new deal earlier this week. Former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew reckons this could spell the end of the road for Ralston.
The Scotland international has been at the club for nearly two decade having joined the youth ranks as a child. He made his Celtic debut against St Johnstone in May 2016 and made over 150 appearances since then. Ralston's 16 major honours to date put him just outside the top 10 list of the club’s most ever decorated players.
Mulgrew thinks new Donovan contract will phase out Ralston
Speaking on Go Radio, Donovan’s new deal, Mulgrew said: “He has earned it. He has shown a great desire to be a Celtic player. He was third choice right-back at one point and now he has stepped up from nowhere. He’ll now be getting wages that he deserves. I would imagine that Ralston will move on either in January or in the summer window based on that. But fair play to Donovan. He has a long way to go in terms of learning and understanding the game but he’ll get there.”
Donovan has slotted in at right-back seamlessly in Johnston’s absence following the Canadian’s recurring hamstring injury nightmare. The 19-year old’s commitment has led to him securing the new deal - and he can now look to the future. After signing the contract extension, Donovan reflected on his ‘rollercoaster’ journey as a Celtic player so far.
What was Donovan’s reaction to the new deal?
He told CelticPlayer: “I'm over the moon. As a young boy coming through at Celtic, you thrive to be a first-team player, and to think where I am now and where I was a year ago today, it's been a rollercoaster. I've loved every single minute, but it doesn't stop now. I'm just going to keep kicking on.
“You've got to have that belief as a young player coming through here at Celtic. You see all the signings that they bring in and it's a top club they expect to win every single week. So as a young player, it's tough, but you always need to believe, and I know for certain when I was a kid, I knew I could come through and do it.
“All the Academy boys that have come through have been brilliant. You see Callum (McGregor) and James (Forrest), KT (Kieran Tierney) and Raldo (Ralston). They've all been great servants of this club. I love taking bits out of their game. I was a young boy and I used to watch them, growing up, and now I'm playing alongside them and I'm good mates for them. It's just a dream come true.”
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