Chris Sutton raises Camilo Duran transfer concern after Celtic’s ‘desperate’ Europa League display

Celtic legend Chris Sutton has warned that Camilo Duran could consider leaving the club in the future if the Hoops continue to struggle in European competition.

Celtic suffered another disappointing night on Thursday as they were beaten 2-1 by Celta Vigo. The result leaves Martin O’Neill’s side still searching for their first points in the Europa League, with the Scottish champions sitting 35th in the 36-team league phase standings.

The defeat also extended Celtic’s miserable European run to four consecutive losses, following their Champions League play-off elimination against LASK Linz and defeats to Ferencvaros and Benfica in the Europa League.

Duran has been one of Celtic’s most encouraging summer acquisitions since joining from Qarabag for a reported £6 million. The 24-year-old Colombian had experience of competing in the Champions League before moving to Glasgow, making Celtic’s current struggles on the continental stage a potential concern.

Sutton believes the club’s inability to compete in Europe could eventually affect their ability to retain key players, particularly if interest arrives from clubs with stronger ambitions.

Sutton questions whether Duran will stay at Celtic

Writing in his Daily Record column, Sutton questioned whether Celtic’s current European performances could damage their appeal to prospective signings and put existing players off remaining at Parkhead.

The former Celtic striker suggested that players such as Duran and Kasper Høgh may have arrived expecting to compete at the highest level in European football. However, the team’s struggles in the Europa League have raised doubts about whether those expectations are being met.

Sutton argued that Celtic’s position in the competition could make recruitment more difficult, particularly if the club are eliminated before the league phase has concluded. He also questioned whether the board would demonstrate sufficient ambition to improve the situation.

The pundit believes those concerns could extend to Celtic’s current squad. Should a substantial offer arrive for Duran from a club with a more convincing sporting project, Sutton feels the striker could have good reason to consider his options.

Although such a possibility may seem premature, Celtic’s latest European setback has intensified questions about the direction of the club and its ability to compete beyond Scotland.

Sutton believes Celtic could benefit from losing their European commitments

Celtic and Hearts are the only Scottish clubs competing in Europe this season after Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian were eliminated during the qualifying rounds.

With their domestic rivals able to concentrate more fully on league football, Sutton believes the lack of European commitments could provide an advantage in the Scottish Premiership title race.

The former striker also suggested that Celtic might be better off without the demands of Thursday-night European fixtures if their performances continue to fall below expectations.

Celtic supporters had hoped to see their team compete against Europe’s leading sides, but successive defeats have instead left them struggling in the Europa League standings.

Sutton’s assessment reflects growing frustration with the club’s continental performances, with the latest loss to Celta Vigo raising further questions about the squad’s quality, recruitment strategy and ambitions.

For Celtic, the immediate challenge is to respond to their European disappointment while ensuring that their domestic campaign does not suffer as a result of their struggles on the continent.