Pundit Alan Hutton has hit out at Celtic midfielder James McCarthy for his first season as a Hoops player, Football Insider report.
The Lowdown: McCarthy’s struggles
McCarthy was one of 12 signings made by Ange Postecoglou during the summer, penning a four-year deal at Parkhead. The Irishman arrived on a free transfer and is on £14,000-a-week in Glasgow, making a four-year contract worth £2.9m.
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-23/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
Unfortunately, the 31-year-old hasn’t made a major impact in his first season, making just four league starts. He has been the club’s worst-rated Premiership performer of players to have made two or more starts, averaging a match-rating of 6.44/10. [WhoScored]
The Latest: Hutton’s comments
Hutton, who contributes for BBC Radio 5 Live, was talking to Football Insider regarding the Irishman.
He questioned the midfielder, comparing him to teammates Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate.
“He obviously came in with a wealth of experience.
“But he’s another player that has struggled to stay fit.
“I think if you look at the options right now and how Ange Postecoglou plays the game, it’s very high intensity and high energy. Is he able to do that?
“You look at the ground Hatate covers, even McGregor. They’re workhorses. They get up and down the pitch, they make things happen and that question mark is over James McCarthy.
“Is he capable of doing that for 90 minutes? At the moment, I’m not so sure.
“I think it’s up to him to go and prove that he can play in this team. That he can get to the levels needed to play that high energy football.”
The Verdict: Not good
Celtic may well be regretting their decision to hand McCarthy a deal until 2025 based on his performances this season which have totalled just 695 minutes.
He has struggled to adapt to Postecoglou’s high-intensity style, despite his wealth of Premier League experience prior to moving to Scotland.
McCarthy is on a good salary and hasn’t made the impact many were hoping, so, on that basis, the Hoops may even try to offload the player before his deal expires in 2025.
In other news: Sky Sports man drops fresh Celtic takeover claim regarding £150m man.