Jason Denayer has returned to Manchester City after a hugely impressive loan spell at Celtic determined not to be bit player in Manuel Pellegrini’s squad.
Pellegrini failed to win anything in the season just ended and if he survives will be under enormous pressure to regain the title from Chelsea and progress much further in the Champions League.
Whether the young Belgian defender will be risked as Pellegrini fights to keep his job is going to be the key in where Denayer sees his career going next. City have already hinted that they see him being loaned out again – perhaps to an English Championship side – and it remains to be seen if that is an appealing prospect for the player who was voted the Scottish Young Player of the Year at Celtic and sampled huge European occasions in the Europa League, most notably against Inter Milan.
Denayer has commented for the first time on where he sees the season ahead going and it clearly involves him being stripped and playing first team football on a regular basis. He said: “I want to have a chance to play. If I receive no guarantee we will need to find a solution.”
Celtic aim to be much better prepared than last summer for the perils of the Champions League qualifiers and maybe Denayer has a desire to be part of that campaign as Ronny Deila’s exciting young team aim to reach the group stages over the summer months. Deila has already been active on the transfer market with Denayer’s Manchester City colleague and fellow Belgian Dedryck Boyata due to sign for Celtic tomorrow on a 4 year year deal.
Danny Wilson, who has now left Hearts, is being considered for a squad place as Ronny Deila aims to freshens things up ahead of Celtic’s 5IAR season which will see Hearts arriving from the Championship and Motherwell retaining their place at the top table after thrashing The Rangers 6-1 in the play off. The 3 year old club will have to wait at least another year before they make their debut in the top division.
Meanwhile Leeds United are reported to have switched their interest from Leigh Griffiths to Tony Stokes after the Scotland striker committed himself to Celtic.
Stokes who is in the Irish squad for the Euro- qualifier in Dublin next week against Scotland, has been on the fringes for the last few months of the season and has also attacked the interest of his former Celtic boss Neil Lennon who has a real re-building job on his hands at Bolton.
Burnley and Cardiff are also being discussed as possible destinations for Stokes who was an Arsenal youth and had a spell at Sunderland before returning to Scotland to play for Hibs after initially doing very well for John Hughes at Falkirk.
