Where does Daniel Arzani’s Celtic future lie?

Despite joining Celtic back in August from Manchester City on a two-year loan deal, Daniel Arzani has still yet to earn a minute on the pitch in Brendan Rodgers’ first team.

The young Aussie is just 19-years-old but made the move to the UK after impressing back in Australia with Melbourne City. He has joined Celtic with a view to developing his exciting skills in a deal similar to that of Patrick Roberts, who had a successful two and a half years at Parkhead.

After being the youngest player in Russia at the World Cup, the winger has only managed a few appearances for the Celtic academy in the SPFL reserve league, hardly the glamour of European football he would have been aiming for. His outings have included an excellent free-kick but also his name going in a referee’s book for diving.

Arzani’s lack of first team action has been rather bizarre and he was even snubbed from Celtic’s Europa League squad so whether reports of a return clause in City’s deal are true or not, the youngsters future is far from settled.

Both Arzani and fellow countryman Tom Rogic featured in Australia’s 4-0 victory over Kuwait on Monday night and his regular international inclusion throws more confusion into his lack of playing time in the Scottish Premiership.

In his six international appearances, all from the bench, Arzani has grabbed one goal in a friendly win over Hungary and featured in all three of the Socceroos World Cup group stage games.

So with experience at the highest level on the international stage, why does the Celtic coaching staff not feel Arzani is ready for Celtic?

After his omission from Celtic’s European squad, speaking to the media, Celtic assistant manager Chris Davies suggested the attacking player wasn’t physically or mentally ready to step up.

Daniel is a young player, he is still adapting to the environment here. He is two weeks into his training programme here, which is, in normal terms, still early pre-season.

He still has a way to go to get up to speed but he has a two-year loan and we are going to support his development.

His main priority is to build up his condition, he’s had half a development team game. The style we have is fast-paced and intense so players have to be at that level.

Weeks down the line of training at Lennoxtown with the first team, the player is still no closer to making the breakthrough whilst youngsters like Michael Johnston and Lewis Morgan have regularly featured in domestic and European games.

The form of these two Scots could be another reason why the Iranian-Born wide man is being overlooked. James Forrest’s four-goal performance at St.Johnstone last week showed he is the current favourite with the likes of Scott Sinclair and Jonny Hayes also vying for a spot in the starting eleven.

Once again, these points take us back to Celtic’s summer business. A window that started off well with the record signing of Odsonne Edouard but quickly turned to a fiasco as the Hoops missed out on John McGinn and lost Moussa Dembele to Lyon, these sandwiched by the farce with Dedryck Boyata.

So although Daniel Arzani was brought in, do Celtic need him and was he the player Brendan Rodgers wanted?

The transfer feud between Rodgers and the board was clear for all to see with the Northern Irishman’s disgruntled mood over the lack of signings hardly kept in-house with some interesting press conferences.

Before Arzani’s deal was finally completed, the manager made some strange comments as it seemed he wasn’t overly familiar with the Aussie previous footballing exploits.

I can’t tell you anything about him or anyone else. All I know is he is a young Australian, a very talented player and went to the World Cup where he looked very, very good.

The club are working hard behind the scenes to try and get some signings in. I think he’s been one that has been identified.

Hardly sounds like he was one of Rodgers’ top targets.

Hopes of a Patrick Roberts return where dashed when the Englishman joined Girona on loan in the summer. Whilst the two players both came from the big money in Manchester, things haven’t taken off in the Aussie’s first two months north of the border. After two months under Deila, Roberts scored a delightful brace against Hearts in the league back in 2016 and went on to play 78 times for Celtic scoring 18 goals and assisting 26. Can Arzani replicate this?

You only need to look back to last season for a failed loan deal for a young prospect in the form of Charly Musonda who returned to his parent club Chelsea after just 5 appearances. Musonda has now followed the route of many a Chelsea youngster by joining Vitesse.

Looking ahead, Celtic will go into a huge week, post international break, where a trip to face RB Leipzig is between a home game against Hibernian and a Betfred Cup semi-final against Hearts where it seems unlikely Arzani will play any part.

As the midweek games continue all the way until the new year, the 19-year-old still has a chance for a Parkhead bow but is certainly way off being the next Patrick Roberts in a Celtic jersey.