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Marcelo Saracchi has admitted his spell at Celtic was “incredible” despite the Hoops experience ultimately costing him a place at the World Cup. The Uruguay international spent last season on loan at Parkhead and quickly became a popular figure among supporters after making a telling contribution to Celtic’s title triumph. Saracchi arrived with Kieran Tierney ahead of him in the pecking order, but the Scotland international’s fitness problems handed the 28-year-old opportunities to impress. An injury of his own saw him drop out of the team for a spell, but he fought his way back into Martin O’Neill’s plans and finished the campaign playing a key role. In fact, Celtic may not have lifted the title without him. Saracchi was instrumental in the build-up to Daizen Maeda’s goal against Hearts which put Celtic 2-1 ahead in a crucial match the Hoops simply had to win. Despite his contribution in Glasgow, the defender was left out of Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay squad for the summer’s World Cup. Saracchi revealed that his lack of regular starts at Celtic was cited by Bielsa as one of the reasons behind the decision. The defender made just eight league starts last season, with a further 11 appearances coming from the bench, and admitted he had no complaints with the explanation. But missing out on the biggest stage has done nothing to diminish his affection for his time in Glasgow. Saracchi said: “My last experience at Celtic was truly incredible, especially winning the league so late in the season. And my challenge in the MLS is to try and repeat that success. “I wasn’t enjoying my time at Boca Juniors and luckily, the loan to Celtic came about, where I was able to showcase my skills and play. Part of the reason I went to Celtic was to perform well and go to the World Cup. “But what happened at Celtic was they rotated the team with me and the other left back at the club. “When Marcelo Bielsa contacted me to say I wasn’t going to be part of his squad, he told me that part of the reason for that was because I didn’t have the most minutes on the pitch, so I completely understood what he told me. “But Celtic was an incredible experience. I would obviously love to return to playing for Uruguay one day. I’ll always fight and work to return to the national team.” [RecordSport] Celtic supporters were hopeful Saracchi could return to Parkhead this summer, with the player himself keen on a permanent move. CeltsAreHere understands Bocca was willing to accept a relatively modest transfer fee and Saracchi had reasonable wage demands, but Celtic preferred a loan arrangement and ultimately did not make an offer for the defender. Now the Hoops find themselves back in the market for a left-back, with Tierney currently lacking a natural deputy as Celtic prepare for their crucial Champions League qualifiers. The decision not to bring Saracchi back could yet prove to be a frustrating one.