No option-to-buy for incoming left-back Marcelo Saracchi | OneFootball

Celtic will have NO option-to-buy for incoming left-back Marcelo Saracchi, according to a new report by Argentine journalist Cesar Luis Merlo…

Marcelo Saracchi of Boca Juniors controls the ball during a Copa de la Liga Profesional 2024 match between Newell’s Old Boys and Boca Juniors at Marcelo Bielsa Stadium on April 06, 2024 in Rosario, Argentina. (Photo by Luciano Bisbal/Getty Images)

As per Argentine journalist Cesar Luis Merlo, the left-back is set to move to the Scottish champions on a one-year loan from South-American giants Boca Juniors. Reports indicate that Celtic are set to pay $100,000, approximately £74,000, to secure Saracchi’s services for the season, with Celtic paying his wages.

Cesar Luis Merlo reports: ‘Boca loans him for one year with a fee of $100,000 and no purchase option’…

Saracchi began his career with Uruguayan club Danubio before joining Boca Juniors’ arch-rivals River Plate in 2017, spending a season there prior to his move to Germany with RB Leipzig.

His time in the Bundesliga proved difficult, with only 27 appearances over three years and a loan stint at Turkish club Galatasaray during the 2020/21 season. Three years ago, Saracchi signed with Levante and spent a season in Spain before returning to South America to join Boca Juniors, his current club, for a fee of roughly £1.5 million.

Marcelo Saracchi of Boca Juniors celebrates after scoring the team’s third goal during a Liga Profesional 2024 match between Boca Juniors and Godoy Cruz at Estadio Alberto J. Armando on November 6, 2024 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Gustavo Garello/Getty Images)

Saracchi has represented Uruguay nine times, making his national team debut in 2018. He is expected to offer both cover and competition for Kieran Tierney, as Brendan Rodgers clearly does not have enough trust in the club’s summer signing Hayato Inamura, following his exclusion from the Champions League squad against Kairat Almaty.

Europa League Draw at lunchtime today

Meanwhile, Saracchi and his new Celtic teammates will be playing in the Europa League this season.

Celtic entered the tournament on Tuesday for the first time since 2021/2022 season following their Champions League exit in Kazakhstan, with Kairat Almaty advancing on penalties after Adam Idah, Luke McCowan, and Daizen Maeda missed from the spot.

The draw for the Europa League takes place at 12pm today and will be shown live on TNT Sports. Some of the top teams Celtic can face include the likes of: Roma, Porto, Lille, Real Betis, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.

The 36-team format is the exact same as the one Celtic competed in the Champions League last campaign. Top eight go directly through to the last 16, 9th-24th battle it out in a knockout playoff and 25th and below exit the competition.

A week or so ago Ally McCoist said that he believed Celtic are a Europa League side and not a Champions League one. Hate to admit it but on this occasion he’s been proved bang on.

Conor Spence

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