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Celtic’s World Cup stars are mostly taking a well-earned break before returning to pre-season duties over the coming days in Portugal.
One player, however, has been anything but quiet during the downtime, according to Daily Record sportswriter Michael Gannon, who is with the squad in the Algarve.
Daizen Maeda has apparently been making the rounds on Japanese television, telling anyone willing to listen that he wants to play in the English Premier League.
It is a fair enough ambition, but the Japanese attacker might benefit from remembering he is still a Celtic player drawing a decent wage each month.
Realistically, that arrangement is unlikely to last much longer, with an exit from the club growing more probable by the day.
Speaking with Martin O’Neill out in Portugal, the Celtic manager is already discussing Maeda in something close to the past tense.
Reo Hatate is another player in a similar position, having turned up to pre-season training before taking a solitary barefoot jog around the pitch on his own.
The midfielder was not exactly radiating enthusiasm, though as Gannon notes, Hatate carries a permanently surly expression as something of a default setting.
Two years ago, Hatate looked like the next player set to join Celtic’s £20 million-plus transfer club, with clubs including Brighton tracking his progress closely.
Now the asking price has shifted considerably, and a couple of million pounds may be enough to see him move on this summer.
He showed what he was capable of during last season, particularly across the Old Firm double header in spring, but too often slipped into a kind of autopilot where carelessness on the ball became a recurring issue.
Arne Engels is also in the Celtic departure lounge, though he is expected to bring the club a significant transfer fee when his move is eventually confirmed.
There is a general acceptance around the camp that all three players are heading for the exit, and O’Neill appears relaxed about the situation, at least for now.
The word from those close to the squad is that considerable work is happening behind the scenes to ensure replacements are identified and secured before the window closes.
That work is essential, given Maeda, Hatate, and Engels have all been significant contributors to Celtic’s trophy-winning success in recent seasons.
The mood among the remaining players in the Algarve has been notably positive, with a clear afterglow from the end of last season still evident across the group.
The squad hit the golf course at the weekend, with defender Liam Scales apparently facing some scrutiny over his handicap after claiming the prize money.
With so many departures looming, the pre-season atmosphere remains upbeat for now, though O’Neill will know the real pressure begins once the transfer window activity accelerates.
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