Aidoo's Celta resurgence: From transfer list to talisman
Joseph Aidoo is finding his feet again at Celta Vigo after a career-threatening Achilles injury, with the club unbeaten in all five matches he's played this season.
The Ghanaian defender who Celta Vigo were desperate to offload last summer is suddenly proving his worth again at Balaídos.
From outcast to unbeaten run
Joseph Aidoo’s career took a proper battering when he ruptured his Achilles tendon back in October 2023. The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Ghanaian international, and Celta’s brass seemed dead set on moving him on - first in the summer window and then again this January.
But football’s a funny old game, innit? The centre-back is suddenly getting minutes again, and more importantly, he’s making them count. In fact, Aidoo has turned into something of a lucky charm for the Galicians - they’ve won all five matches he’s featured in this season. Talk about having the Midas touch!
Last Saturday marked a proper milestone as he started against Valencia due to Starfelt’s injury and put in a solid shift. It was his first appearance at Balaídos since mid-September 2024, when he got just a few minutes of stoppage time against Valladolid. Nearly 16 months between home games - that’s a proper drought.
The numbers game
- 5 appearances this season (2 in La Liga, 3 in Copa del Rey)
- 5 wins from 5 when Aidoo plays
- 298 minutes played in total
- First Balaídos start since his Achilles injury
Contract conundrum
Here’s where it gets interesting for the bean counters at Celta. Aidoo is now in his seventh season with the club (though he spent half of last season on loan at Valladolid), and his contract expires this summer. That means he’s free to sign a pre-contract agreement with any club he fancies for next season.
His strong showing against Valencia has certainly thrown a spanner in the works regarding Celta’s transfer plans. Do they cash in now for a nominal fee, or might they be having second thoughts about letting their unbeaten talisman leave?
After all, when you’re winning every time a player steps on the pitch, perhaps it’s worth having another butcher’s hook at the situation.