Luis Palma feels like a square peg in a round hole at Celtic, and January transfer interest in him has been well-documented.
Despite a fast start to life in Glasgow, in which he regularly scored domestically and in the UEFA Champions League, the Honduran has fallen out of the picture over the past calendar year.
Palma frustrates fans with his performances and has started just two of the Hoops’ games this season.
He is on the fringes of Brendan Rodgers’ squad and was last week linked with a move to Genoa, among other clubs, including Olympiacos and Atlanta United.
Arsenal Invincible Patrick Vieira is in charge of Genoa and was recently quizzed on potential January arrivals amid swirls of a move for Palma. He remained tight-lipped: “It is a period where there will be many rumours about players arriving and leaving, and we will have to manage it calmly and with confidence,” said the Frenchman (RecordSport).
“I am very calm about the group that I have at my disposal to work with. I understand the demand in this period, but my focus is on the team and not on the individuals who leave or arrive.”
Despite vast exit links, it looks like Celtic will need to bring in more wing cover before Palma’s departure, with it emerging over the weekend that the club aren’t keen to part ways with the 24-year-old due to a lack of depth out wide.
James Forrest is currently injured, meaning if Palma did leave, Brendan Rodgers’ sole wing options would be Nicolas Kuhn, Daizen Maeda, and Yang Hyun-jun.
One can, therefore, comprehend why a Palma exit isn’t being sanctioned. If Celtic sign a winger over the course of this month, though, the situation could change.
