Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that the paperwork is yet to be finalised on Vakoun Issouf Bayo’s January arrival at Celtic.
Bayo, 22, joined the Hoops earlier this month from Slovakia top-flight side Dunajska Streda, but the Ivory Coast international’s move remains incomplete until this paperwork is sorted.
Celtic play against Airdrieonians at Parkhead on Saturday, and this news surely casts doubt over whether the striker could make his debut in the Scottish Cup fixture.
“Bayo is still going through his paperwork process, and will hopefully join us later in the week. It’s great to have them on board, all three young talents with very big potential and it’ll be great to nurture that over the next six months,” said Rodgers in a press conference on Thursday, as quoted by Celtic’s official Twitter account.
?? BR: "Bayo is still going through his paperwork process, and will hopefully join us later in the week. It's great to have them on board, all three young talents with very big potential and it'll be great to nurture that over the next six months."
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) January 17, 2019
OPINION
It has been some time since Bayo was confirmed as a Celtic player, so hopefully the club can sort out this clerical issue as soon as possible so that the Ivorian can pull on the green and white hoops and get out on the playing field. Bayo has been in lethal form in Slovakia, scoring 18 goals in 23 appearances across all competitions for Dunajska Streda before he was snapped up by the Bhoys. There is a major gulf in quality between the league he has been used to scoring in to the Scottish Premiership, so it will be very interesting to see how he gets on while playing for Celtic. Bayo might struggle to be a regular starter for the time being anyway. Odsonne Edouard is bound to be Celtic’s number one choice forward and Timothy Weah is also at the club on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. Leigh Griffiths could return to action at any point as well, with no return date set for his indefinite leave of absence.