Joel van den Berg’s Celtic Future Is Up in the Air as Gvidas Gineitis Rumours Intensify

I’m starting to wonder what Celtic’s plan actually is for Joel van den Berg.

We brought him in from PSV, alongside Oliver Sørensen and Mika Baur, but van den Berg has yet to make his competitive debut. Now, with rumours of a January move for Gvidas Gineitis intensifying, I’m left wondering where that leaves the young Dutchman.

I have no issue with Celtic signing Gineitis. He was a target in the summer, and his physicality and energy could give our midfield something it has been missing. But if we are going to spend serious money on another midfielder, we need to know what the plan is for the players already here.

Van den Berg is only 19, and I’m certainly not writing him off before we have even seen him play. That is exactly why I want to see him given an opportunity.

What was the point in bringing him to Celtic if he is going to sit on the sidelines without a clear route into the first team? If he needs time to develop, fair enough. Give him minutes where possible, work on his weaknesses and help him settle into Scottish football.

A January loan might make sense if regular football is what he needs. But it would be frustrating to see Celtic sign a promising youngster, barely use him and then send him elsewhere before supporters have had a proper chance to judge him.

The Gineitis situation makes this even more interesting. Celtic reportedly failed to agree a fee with Torino in the summer, and there is talk of returning for him in January. If he arrives, competition for midfield places will become even fiercer.

I want Celtic to strengthen the squad, but I also want us to have a coherent recruitment strategy. We cannot keep collecting midfielders without knowing how they fit into the team.

For me, the biggest concern is not whether Gineitis signs. It is whether Celtic have a genuine plan for van den Berg.

We have barely seen him, so it is far too early to judge his ability. But we should at least be able to explain why we signed him, what role he is expected to play and how he is going to develop.

Before Celtic spend millions bringing in another midfielder, I want to know what the future holds for the one we have barely used.