As the trophy was handed out to considerable fanfare on the final day of the season, Christopher Jullien cut a curious figure.

The French defender had a slow walk around the perimeter of the ground as the party waned, flicking away the ticker tape and paraphernalia of the celebration out his way as he did so. Alone, Jullien’s walk looked very much like a farewell sojourn as his pensive gaze took in the empty stadium.

Given his only contribution last season was to come into the fray for a Scottish Cup win over Raith Rovers there was perhaps an obvious reticence to join in a title party. Yet it was difficult not to feel that it was a goodbye glance from Jullien.

This time a year ago Jullien would have been cited as the best and most obvious centre-back at the club. The knee ligament damage he received in a game against Dundee United in December 2020 in the midst of Celtic’s most chaotic season for many a year was seen as seriously wounding to the plight of Neil Lennon’s side.

If Jullien thought his nightmare was over after spending a year regaining his fitness, there has been a different kind of test in the loss of his first-team place under Ange Postecoglou.

Signed for a fee of £7million from Toulouse, Jullien is going into the final season of his Celtic contract. There is a decision then to be made on whether there is an economic reason for retaining his services given that he could then leave the club on a free transfer next summer.

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With 63 appearances and 10 goals for Celtic – the most notable being the winner in the 2019 League Cup final against Rangers – Jullien will fancy that he has the credentials to fight for a first-team place.

Spotted in his Celtic training kit going through his paces during the pre-season break, the defender seems to have reconciled himself to forcing apart this season’s preferred defensive pairing of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt.

The duo, along with Joe Hart, combined to produce the stingiest defence in the top flight last term with Carter-Vickers’ recent permanent signing warmly welcomed by the Celtic support.

Usurping either the American or the Swede – also spotted over the weekend going through his paces on the beach to ease off any fears of the injury he picked up on international duty – will be no easy task. Especially when factored into the equation is that Jullien was fit and available for the latter months of the season but at times was not even making the squad.

Still, given the scope of games that Celtic have to play and the intensity of the fixture list between the season kicking off and the break for the World Cup, it may be no bad thing for Postecoglou to be able to call on his experience.

Stephen Welsh will also be keen to add to the game-time he clocked up last season. If Jullien succeeds in a full pre-season under his belt it could be that he presents both another viable defensive option as well as offering serious competition to those who currently have hold of the starting jerseys.