Celtic will allow Moritz Bauer to return to Stoke City when his loan expires, according to a report by Football Insider.
The Australian has spent this season on loan with the Scottish Premiership champions and has made nine appearances for them in all competitions.
Neil Lennon’s side do hold an option to purchase him on a permanent basis when his loan deal expires this summer, though they are expected to send him back to the Bet365 Stadium.
Bauer, who is 28 years old, has fallen out-of-favour at Stoke in the Championship and they loaned him out last August to reduce their squad size. The Potters have a different manager at the helm now in Michael O’Neill so it may be his decision on Bauer’s long-term future at the club.
He signed a new five-year deal with the Potters in July 2018, contracting him until 2023. However, he has played just 26 times for the Staffordshire side since his £5.5 million move from Rubin Kazan in January 2018.
Bauer started his career in his native Austria with spells as a youngster at FC Winterthur and Grasshoppers before Rubin Kazan snapped him up in 2016. He became a key player for the Russian Premiership side and won their Player of the Season in his first year at the club.
His time at Stoke has not worked out for him and he has struggled to get his career back on track at Celtic this term. Most signs point towards him having a fresh start somewhere else this summer.
