Celtic have sold off several key stars in the last two windows as Brendan Rodgers puts his own stamp on the group available to him at Lennoxtown.
Nevertheless, one man who underwent a rather sudden departure is former Hoops winger Liel Abada, who joined Charlotte FC for a fee in the region of £10 million earlier this year.
Due to some well-documented personal problems, his exit became inevitable, though the wider support will remember his contribution to the Celtic cause fondly.
Per Transfermarkt, the Israel international registered 29 goals and 22 assists in 129 appearances for the club, including some brilliant exploits in the Glasgow Derby.
Now plying his trade in Major League Soccer, the 22-year-old sent a lengthy farewell message after leaving to head Stateside, thanking his teammates, manager, the Celtic board and his loved ones for their unwavering support.
He stated: “After 2 and a half incredible years, the time has come to bid farewell. Where do I even begin? Leaving Celtic wasn’t in my plans, yet life’s unpredictable turns remind us that we’re not always in control.
“The past six months have been a personal challenge, yet the overwhelming support from the Gaffer, coaches, and board has been my rock. Their unwavering faith during these times won’t be forgotten but cherished forever.”
Liel Abada scores first MLS goal and discusses post-Celtic life
Yesterday, Abada channelled his goalscoring energy from his Celtic days by getting on the scoresheet for Charlotte in a 3-2 victory over Toronto FC, capitalising on a loose ball before firing a low strike into the bottom right-hand corner that left Sean Johnson with no chance.
He also discussed some honest feelings from the end of his time at Celtic, with his focus now on looking towards the future in North Carolina.
Abada stated [Cited via The Daily Record]: “I have been waiting for this goal for a very long time. I had a very, very difficult time in Scotland, now I’m happy and I just wanted to enjoy it.
“We are happy with the three points which are the most important. I am very pleased that I scored. Now my aim is to score more goals here.
“We have some very good players in attack; there is good chemistry between us. We work hard and know what we have to do. The coaching team here teaches us a lot.”
Capping a fine day of work, Abada was also awarded Man of the Match for his contribution against the Reds, which moved Charlotte up to sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference [Charlotte FC].
All told, Celtic managed to inherit a sizeable fee for Abada, given the circumstances, and his replacement, Nicolas Kuhn, has impressed since arriving from Rapid Vienna in January.