Celtic have announced that their defender Boli Bolingoli has departed Glasgow to join Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir on loan for the 2020-21 season, as per Goal.com.
The Belgian footballer made headlines in August after he played for the Bhoys days following his return from Spain. Thus, instead of remaining in self-isolation for two weeks, he broke the guidelines laid down by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Professional Football League.
When the details of the 25-year-old’s trip became public, it left the First Minister Nicolas Sturgeon fuming, who called for the postponement of the Hoops’ next two matches.
While the Northern Irish boss Neil Lennon also slammed the player, calling the breach an ‘appalling behaviour’.
“I think it is one of the worst behaviours from an individual I have come across,” the 49-year-old manager said. “Everything has been tight and everything has been strict and he had been warned previously about travelling and he blatantly disregarded my instructions and the club’s instructions. It is a complete act of selfishness.
“It’s just appalling behaviour and one the club will deal with in the strongest possible way internally.
“He put everyone associated with the club, the playing staff, the backroom staff, the players at Kilmarnock and their staff in jeopardy. By the grace of God, he’s had two negative tests, but it’s not the point. It’s the lack of responsible behaviour which is paramount.
“You cannot be any clearer than saying, ‘Don’t leave Glasgow. Stay around if you are going to the shops or whatever’. Now we have to log in everything we have done in terms of where we’ve been.
“There are no restaurants, no socialising, no cafes, but this particular individual has decided to jump on a plane and go to Spain for a day, which is baffling. Then he comes back and doesn’t tell anybody where he has been.
“We can’t legislate for the behaviour of an individual. We can’t legislate for tracking them 24 hours a day. Sometimes you have to take accountability for this. I’m not saying the club are not taking accountability – we are holding our hands up. But it’s reprehensible behaviour from one individual.”
Bolingoli, who can play in different left-sided roles, started his career by joining the youth ranks of Club Brugge where he went to make 64 senior appearances in all competitions for the Belgian side.
After spending two years with the Austrian side Rapid Vienna, he signed a four-year deal with Celtic in the summer of 2019. So far, he has clocked up 29 appearances in all competitions for the Parkhead club, with four assists to his name.
