Why Celtic have struck gold with a new deal utility man for Nir Bitton

According to BBC, Celtic have secured the future of Nir Bitton with a new three-and-a-half-year deal to keep the utility star at Parkhead until at least 2023. 

The 28-year-old was set to be out-of-contract at Celtic in the summer of 2020 but the Hoops have moved quickly to ensure an extended stay for the Israeli international, who is among the firm fan favourites in Neil Lennon’s ranks. 

Bitton joined Celtic from Israeli side Ashdod back in 2013 during Lennon’s first managerial stint at the club and his new deal could potentially take him to a decade of excellence at Parkhead. 

The utility star has become the latest of the club’s first-team mainstays to put pen to paper on fresh terms, following in the footsteps on Scott Bain, Callum McGregor and James Forrest.

The 25-cap Israeli international has clocked up a total of 21 appearances for the reigning Scottish champions in all competitions so far this season, featuring as a substitute in the Betfred Cup final triumph over Rangers and also earning back-to-back starts against Cluj and Hibernian in recent fixtures. 

The 28-year-old has always been a regular fixture in Lennon’s playing eleven but he has still managed to start 12 games in all competitions so far this term, including 6 in the Scottish Premiership.

Bitton’s versatility to play as a defensive midfielder and also as a centre-back has come in handy for the Hoops over the last week or so, with Lennon using him as a part of his back-three system to cope with the injury absence of Israeli compatriot Hatem Abd Elhamed. 

To put things into perspective, Celtic securing the future of Nir Bitton should come as a piece of welcome news to the club faithful, given the Israeli’s years of faithful service to the Hoops. 

The 28-year-old doesn’t play as regularly as he used to during his earlier days at the club but he still continues to be a key squad player and one of Lennon’s trusted lieutenants in times of crisis. 

Despite hardly being a sure pick in the playing eleven, Bitton is not only one of the most hardworking players on the training ground but he also seems ever-ready to do a job for the team when called into action by the manager, qualities that make him a model professional and an inspiration for any up and coming player at the club.

Furthermore, Bitton is someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, and his commitment to the badge has never been called into question over the course of his stay at Celtic. 

Now 28, the Israeli international is very much in his prime years as a professional footballer, which is another reason why a new deal for him makes perfect sense, and Celtic can look forward to enjoying his services for the foreseeable future.

Also, the new three-and-a-half-year deal is expected to remove any sort of speculation over Bitton’s future, meaning that the 28-year-old can now focus on the job in hand and help the club in their bid for yet another trophy-laden campaign on all fronts. 

According to a report from The Sun back in November, Bitton was on the radar of Premier Leauge club Burnley, who were weighing up a cut-price deal to bring the Israeli star south of the border in January, but that no longer seems to be in question after his contract extension. 

Verdict

Having won every major Scottish honour so far, including 6 domestic titles, and clocked up over 200 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions, Bitton is not just a seasoned campaigner in Scottish football but he is also a serial winner with loads of experience under his belt who still has plenty to offer at Parkhead.

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All in all, Celtic extending the stay of Nir Bitton makes perfect sense for a number of reasons and this comes as a shrewd piece of business that could well pay off handsomely for the reigning champions moving forward.