Important Celtic Player Almost Left in the Summer

Most people believe that Celtic are struggling to match the form that they showed under the management of Ange Postecoglou. But that does not mean that Brendan Rodgers' arrival has not benefited some players.

Of course, a lot has been made about the form of Matt O'Riley. He has raised his game since Rodgers walked through the door and is widely considered the best player in Scotland based on his current form.

Other than O'Riley, there is another Celtic player who has been fantastic this season. And his rise has come as a major surprise to most.

Liam Scales was expected to leave Celtic in the summer after spending the previous season on loan at Aberdeen. There were rumours that the Dons could try to sign him permanently.

Several of Celtic's centre-backs got injured at the start of the season though. Scales found himself in the starting XI as a result and an exit did not transpire.

Now, Scales has lifted the lid on the matter. According to The Scottish Sun, the Irish defender said: “Most people thought I was going to go back to Aberdeen. It was sort of in the pipeline.

“I spoke to them at the end of my loan and they were keen to have me back for a year or 18 months and move me on, and I loved Aberdeen, Aberdeen is a brilliant football club.

“I was happy to go back and play consistently at that level and try to win a cup or finish third in the Scottish League and play in the Conference League, and do that for a year or 18 months and then try to get a move or whatever.

“But has worked out better for me now and I’m happy that it has.

“I think I’ve surprised in the sense that maybe I wasn’t fully in the picture, then a few injuries happened and I was thrown straight in and did well, and I’ve held my place now.”

Most fans probably expected Scales to lose his place in the team once everyone was fit and available. That has not happened.

Scales has been performing at a very high level since being brought into the fold and dropping him on current form would be a major mistake. One could argue that he has been Celtic's best player this season so far.

Now, it remains to be seen if Scales can keep on performing like this throughout the course of the 2023/24 campaign.