Christopher Jullien: Celtic exit to join Montpellier leaves centre-half not 'satisfied' - BBC Sport

Christopher Jullien: Celtic exit to join Montpellier leaves centre-half not 'satisfied'

Celtic centre-half Christopher Jullien during training
Christopher Jullien has been out of the picture with Celtic since returning from long-term injury

Christopher Jullien has joined Montpellier for an undisclosed fee saying he is not "satisfied" at the way his three-year stay with Celtic ended.

The 29-year-old centre-half returns to his homeland's top flight having played just once for the Scottish champions since December 2020.

Jullien could not force his way into manager Ange Postecoglou's side on his return from 18 months out injured.

But the Frenchman said on social media: "Once a Celtic, forever a Celtic."

The defender, who signed for Celtic from Toulouse for a reported £7m on a four-year contract in 2019, said: "Some might think that I'm satisfied finishing this way, my time in the club that gave me the first championship of my career - I let them think again.

"I would like to thank the club for bringing me here, I came here to learn what winning mentality was and I've learned so much during so many great games."

Jullien picked out former manager Neil Lennon and current assistant John Kennedy, along with Celtic's fans, for their backing during his stay in Glasgow.

However, after returning from a serious knee injury picked up when colliding with a post against Dundee United, his only appearance under Postecoglou was 15 minutes as a substitute in a Scottish Cup win over Raith Rovers in February.

Jullien's chances of adding to his 62 overall appearances were likely to be more limited following Cameron Carter-Vickers' loan from Tottenham Hotspur being made permanent and the loan arrival of Moritz Jenz from Lorient.

The former Freiburg player's proposed loan move to Schalke 04 earlier this summer having fallen through following a medical, he instead returns on a three-year contract to France, where he also previously played for Auxerre and Dijon.

Jullien told Montpellier's website that "I have ants in my legs" as he "can't wait to get started" with the side currently sitting 13th in Ligue 1 - the same position they finished last season - after just three games of the season under his former head coach at Dijon, Olivier Dall'Oglio.

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