Celtic agree to let star leave for free unless one clause is triggered

Celtic are reportedly planning to let right-back Anthony Ralston run down his contract and leave on a free transfer next summer — unless the 27-year-old attracts a firm offer in the January window.

The Scotland international, who joined the club's academy at age eight and has spent 19 years at Celtic Park, has fallen to fourth-choice in his position under manager Martin O'Neill.

According to transfer journalist Pete O'Rourke, speaking to Football Insider, an exit on a free next summer suits 'all parties,' but Celtic would also be 'happy' to sell if interest materialises this winter.

"Celtic will be happy to sell right-back Anthony Ralston if he receives interest in January," O'Rourke said.

"The veteran defender is firmly down the pecking order at Parkhead and is out of contract next summer."

"Sources say that an exit on a free next summer suits 'all parties,' unless the chance arises for Ralston to move on this winter."

Ralston's slide down the depth chart has been steep.

Just last season he made 35 appearances in all competitions for Celtic — a respectable workload for a squad player.

That number was inflated by a prolonged injury to first-choice right-back Alistair Johnston, the Canadian international who missed most of the 2025/26 campaign with a hamstring problem.

Johnston has suffered a recurring hamstring issue this season as well, limiting his availability again.

But instead of Ralston stepping back into the role, O'Neill has turned to 20-year-old Colby Donovan.

The Scotland under-21 international has started the last 17 consecutive games at right-back, establishing himself as the clear first choice.

Ralston has made only four appearances this season — all from the bench.

His total minutes have dropped so sharply that the club now sees no reason to extend his deal beyond its current expiry date.

Ralston's situation is not unusual in modern football, where clubs regularly face the choice between cashing in on a fringe player mid-contract or letting him leave for nothing.

In European football, a player whose contract runs down to its final six months is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside his current league starting in January.

That means Celtic's window to extract any transfer fee is narrow: either a buyer steps forward before the winter window closes, or Ralston can negotiate his next move without the club's involvement.

O'Rourke's reporting suggests Celtic are not panicking about the prospect of losing him for zero compensation.

The phrase 'all parties' indicates that Ralston himself is comfortable with the timeline, likely because he can secure a signing-on bonus and higher wages as a free agent — money that would otherwise go to Celtic as a transfer fee.

The decision also reflects the changing structure of O'Neill's squad.

Donovan, at 20, represents the kind of young, homegrown option that clubs value for both performance and squad registration rules.

Under UEFA's Europa League regulations, clubs must include a minimum number of 'club-trained' and 'association-trained' players in their squad list.

Ralston qualifies as club-trained, having spent three full seasons at Celtic between ages 15 and 21, but Donovan does as well — and at a lower wage cost with a longer potential resale value.

Celtic's Europa League campaign adds context to the timing of the news.

The Hoops host Besiktas on Thursday evening at Celtic Park in a must-win match in the competition's league phase.

Kick-off is at 8:00 PM GMT / 3:00 PM ET.

Celtic have lost all three of their opening group-stage games and sit second-bottom in the 36-team table.

No team that has lost its first three matches in this competition format has ever advanced to the knockout stage.

O'Neill acknowledged the pressure when asked if the match is a must-win.

"I mean, it'll be our fourth game," he said.

"We need to get off the mark at some stage or another. I was told that statistically speaking that any team who's lost their first three games haven't made it through."

Donovan is expected to start at right-back against Besiktas, continuing the run that has pushed Ralston to the margins.

The Turkish side remain unbeaten in the competition and held Crystal Palace to a 2-2 draw two weeks ago.

For Ralston, the Europa League fixture is another game he will likely watch from the bench — a far cry from the 2022/23 season when he was a regular starter under Ange Postecoglou and made his senior Scotland debut.

Ralston's career at Celtic has been a story of persistence.

He made his first-team debut in 2016 under Brendan Rodgers but spent loan spells at Queen's Park, Dundee United, St Mirren and Fleetwood Town before breaking through.

His most significant run came during the 2021/22 season when injuries to Josip Juranovic forced him into the starting lineup.

He performed well enough to earn a new contract and a place in Scotland's national team squad.

But O'Neill's arrival and the emergence of Donovan have reshuffled the depth chart.

Johnston, when fit, is the established starter.