By now, everyone who reads this blog should know that I think Nir Bitton is a key part of Lennon’s Celtic team, as he was a part of Brendan Rodgers’ side before that.
Nir Bitton is one of those players every manager would love to have; comfortable in several positions, experienced, calm under pressure and with a good football brain.
The idea that he might walk away on a free contract at the end of this campaign … it’s ridiculous.
He is willing to stay. Lennon wants him here.
It is time to make this happen.
What should we do about Nir Bitton?
New deal for him
Sell in January
I am sure Nir Bitton is not asking for stupid money.
Some kind of deal can surely be struck.
I am not convinced that there is a delay here; Bitton and Lennon have both talked about a new deal for a few weeks, but that doesn’t mean that any actual proposal was in front of anybody.
Bitton says Lawwell now has his proposal … if it’s reasonable, this needs to get done.
The last thing this club needs, at the moment, is any kind of wedge between the manager and the board, whether real or imagined, that the media can exploit.
It would take someone of Joel Sked level stupidity not to see this as an opportunity to do just this if this deal isn’t done by the time the window is open and Bitton’s agent is free to offer him around clubs.
This isn’t one we can afford to get wrong.
Replacing Bitton would require us to spend good money.
He’s been at the club a while, he gets it, he loves it, he can do a job for us and he wants to stay.
There is no reason – except parsimony – not to get this done, and there will be no excuses if Bitton walks out at the end of this campaign on a free.