Stoke City defender Moritz Bauer has admitted his loan spell at Celtic hasn’t worked out, as per a report by the Daily Record.
The Austrian international fell out-of-favour at Celtic Park this season and has made just nine appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions. All signs are pointing towards him returning to the Bet365 Stadium this summer, but what Michael O’Neill’s plans for him are anyone’s guess.
Stoke loaned him out to Celtic in late August and the Hoops do have an option to purchase him on a permanent basis which is unlikely to be activated.
Bauer signed a new five-year deal with the Potters in July 2018, contracting him to the Championship outfit 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.
He had spells at FC Winterthur and Grasshoppers in his early career before moving to Russia for two years in 2016.
Reflecting on his time in Glasgow, Bauer has said, as per the Daily Record: “I don’t want the season to end. It was an exciting experience for me at Celtic, even if it went bitterly for me. Losing my place wasn’t down to performances. I’m 28, only on loan from Stoke and relatively expensive.”
“When the new season starts at Stoke, I now have the chance to get people talking again about me with my performances. I certainly dream of playing for Austria again.”
Bauer had hoped to get his career back on track at Celtic but lost his place to highly-rated youngster Jeremie Frimpong. His future at Stoke now hangs in the balance with him due to return in the near future.
