Utrecht owner Frans van Seumeren has revealed forgotten flop Celtic loan keeper Vasilis Barkas is at the centre of a transfer battle.
The Greek keeper was a disaster for the Hoops after his £4.5 million transfer from AEK Athens almost three years ago and was quietly shipped out on loan to Dutch club Utrecht in the summer.
He's been a revelation in the Netherlands though and has been praised by Utrecht manager Michael Silberbauer throughout this campaign with Utrecht challenging for a European spot.
Utrecht want to turn the loan move into a permanent one, but are struggling to reach an agreement with Celtic for a transfer fee.
And van Seumeren has revealed that Celtic may yet get a financial boost from the sale of the 28-year-old keeper, who still has over a year to go on his deal.
He said: "As a club, we are doing everything we can to keep Vasilis Barkas here, but it is a difficult issue.
"Not least because there are now other clubs also interested after his successful season." Barkas made just 16 league starts for Celtic and last played for them in a 3-1 Boxing Day win in 2021 at St Johnstone when a depleted Celtic had two keepers injured.
That was his only appearance under Ange Postecoglou apart from the Australian's first-ever game as Hoops manager in a 1-1 draw against FC Midtjylland in the Champions League qualifiers earlier that season.
Meanwhile, Callum McGregor claims three key principles of Celtic’s football philosophy led to the winning goal amid the “chaos” of Sunday’s Old Firm Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers.
The Light Blues, who went into the game at Hampden Park as cup holders, were punished just before the break for failing to play to the whistle.
After the Hoops captain took a quick free-kick to Matt O’Riley, several Rangers players switched off when the ball ran loose inside the box when the Celtic midfielder was challenged by Nicolas Raskin.
Celtic attacker Daizen Maeda reacted quickly to fire in a cross which was headed in by Portuguese winger Jota to set up a meeting in the final with Championship side Inverness on June 3.
“That was the pleasing thing again,” said McGregor.
“In such a high-stakes game, the emotions surrounding the game, both teams desperate to win, there is the three principles of our play in the goal.
“Quick restart, react quicker to the counter press, and then we get the winger coming in at the back post to get his header in.
“So it is really pleasing that in the midst of all the chaos you manage to stay calm and score a goal that’s a lot like we have been doing.
“It was a great result. Spells were really good and to show the other side of us in the second half, we were together, defended the box really well, good team shape and pressed at the right time.
“Overall, a bit of everything in there and most important of all in a semi-final, you get yourself to a final.”
