Celtic’s Vasilis Barkas is wanted by IFK Gothenburg on loan… with the Swedish side targeting a deal for the third-choice goalkeeper after Sheffield United dropped out over his wages and loan fee
- Celtic stopper Vasilis Barkas is wanted on loan by Swedish side IFK Gothenburg
- The Scottish Premiership contenders may need to ease their demands in a deal
- Barkas is behind first-choice Joe Hart and understudy Scott Bain at Celtic Park
- IFK may be seeking a cut-price deal after Sheffield United dropped their interest
IFK Gothenburg are eyeing a loan move for Celtic goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.
The Swedes are anxiously seeking a new no.1 after their bid to land FC Copenhagen’s Sten Grytebust collapsed last week.
Barkas is high on their list of options but they may need the Parkhead club to lower their demands for the Greek, who cost £5million when he signed from AEK Athens in the summer of 2020.
Celtic goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas could be exiting Parkhead on loan before the transfer deadline
Manager Ange Postecoglou has used the ex-Greece international only twice so far this season
With only one Premiership appearance this season, Barkas is behind Joe Hart and Scott Bain in the Parkhead pecking order.
It’s understood Sheffield United backed away from a move for the 27-year-old after being asked to pay a loan fee on top of a sizeable percentage of his wages.
Gothenburg are now trying to secure a deal but it remains to be seen whether they can afford Barkas.
The 27-year-old played in the first leg of Hoops’ Champions League second qualifying round defeat against Midtjylland in July.
Barkas played 90 minutes as Celtic beat St Johnstone but has been unable to dislodge Joe Hart
Barkas was on the bench for Celtic’s first game of the season when they visited Hearts.
The understudy has been in their Scottish Premiership matchday squad only once since then.
That was at St Johnstone on December 26, when he played the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 win.
The away victory was one of two games in December when Hart was rested, with the former England goalkeeper playing every minute of the rest of Celtic’s Scottish Premiership campaign so far.
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