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Brendan Rodgers handed fresh Celtic headache with struggling loanee set to return to Parkhead
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hasn’t had too much to worry about this season.
With rivals Rangers stumbling, the Hoops are cruising toward another Scottish Premiership title, currently sitting 15 points clear of Barry Ferguson’s side. And while they bowed out of the Champions League before the knockout rounds, Rodgers’ men gave a respectable showing – navigating a tough new-look league phase and pushing Bayern Munich to the brink in the playoffs, losing just 3–2 on aggregate.
But with summer fast approaching, one issue is beginning to loom large for Rodgers: the future of winger Luis Palma.
After a sluggish start to the 2024/25 campaign—failing to register a single goal in 12 appearances across all competitions—Palma was sent out on loan to Greek side Olympiacos in January. The hope was that he could rediscover his form and either earn a fresh start back in Glasgow or secure a permanent move, with Olympiacos reportedly holding a £3.5 million buyout clause.
So far, though, neither scenario has materialised – leaving Rodgers with a bit of a dilemma to solve in the coming months.
Palma to return to Celtic
Luis Palma. (Orlando Sierra/Getty)
Since joining Olympiacos, Palma has struggled to make any meaningful impact. The winger has started just four games in all competitions, managing one goal and one assist – both coming in a 6–0 thrashing of AEK Athens in the semi-finals of the Kypello Elladas, Greece’s domestic cup.
Now, in a worrying update on his future, Olympiacos boss Jose Luis Mendilibar has hinted that Palma could be heading back to Parkhead at the end of the season, with the club unlikely to trigger their reported £3.4 million option to buy.
“I have already made my decisions about the players who will stay and who will go at the end of the season,” Mendilibar said, as quoted by The Scottish Sun. “And it will be very difficult for them to change my mind in the remaining games of the season.”
Though he didn’t name Palma directly, the comments appear to be a clear message to the Honduras international – who now seems destined for a return to Celtic this summer.
With his form having dipped both in Greece and during his debut season in Glasgow in 2023/24, it’s hard to imagine Palma forcing his way back into Rodgers’ plans. That means the Celtic boss will either need to find a buyer or loan him out again.
The real issue? Palma still has three years remaining on his contract—and with his performances doing little to inspire confidence in a permanent move elsewhere, Celtic may be stuck footing the bill for a player who might not feature in their future plans.
