Celtic fans should know by now that a return to Parkhead for Ki Sung-Yeung could now be off the cards amid reports that the Hoops are unwilling to meet the midfielder’s wage demands.
The ex-South Korea international has been linked with a return to Celtic after his father admitted in an interview in December that his son is looking to leave Premier League side Newcastle United this month.
The Premier League club is also said to be keen on offloading Ki to free up his wage bill, according to Chronicle’s chief Newcastle United writer Lee Ryder reports.
Ryder further adds in his column for the Chronicles by revealing how Celtic are unwilling to meet the defensive midfielder’s wage demands, with his report revealing Ki’s weekly wages to be around £60,000-a-week at the St. James Park.
“The player’s representatives are looking for clubs to facilitate a move to get the former Sunderland and Swansea City man off United’s wage bill. One of Ki’s former clubs Celtic are interested in taking the retired South Korea skipper on a permanent deal but the Glasgow giants have so far baulked at his wage demands.”
It’s no surprise to many Hoops fans hearing of their club’s reluctance to meet the midfielder’s wage demands, given the club’s current wage structure.
In the meantime, Celtic duo James Forrest and Callum McGregor are the two club’s highest earners on around £30,000-a-week at Parkhead, half of what the Newcastle midfielder is earning.
Should Ki forces his move to Celtic, he would there, have to take a 50 per cent pay cut at the very least, something that is highly unlikely to happen.
Furthermore, even if the midfielder, who according to Transfermarkt can also be played as a central midfielder, is willing to agree to a drop in his wages, Celtic should not agree to move that will see him return to Celtic Park.
Why Celtic should not agree with his return to Celtic Park.
This is simply because the 30-year-old midfielder has made just four appearances for the Magpies so far this season, with his last coming in a 37-minute substitute appearance against Rochdale in the FA Cup.
Ki’s performance that day for Newcastle as per The Chronicle was rated as a 5/10 and was tagged “one-paced;” hardly the type of player the Hoops are currently in the market, especially given his wage demands.
Instead, Celtic should prioritise a move for Ivorian midfielder Ismaila Soro in our opinion, with the Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. defensive midfielder a younger and cheaper option who possesses the qualities the Hoops need in midfield.
