CELTIC have knocked back a loan move for frozen-out midfielder James McCarthy.
Greek Super League outfit Volos FC made a bid to take the Republic of Ireland international for the remainder of the season, but their offer fell short due to an issue over wages, according to a report in Sky Sports.
The Hoops are demanding a larger percentage of the veteran anchorman’s pay packet to be covered by the Greeks and the move has been booted out with the suitors told to think again if they want to pursue their interest.
NOW YOU SEE ME…James McCarthy during a rare first-team appearance in Celtic’s 3-1 win over St Johnstone in Perth on Boxing Day 2021.
Thirty-three-year-old McCarthy, who still has 18 months to run on his contract after joining as a free agent in the summer of 2021, hasn’t featured in the top side since October 2022.
The Glaswegian, who signed for the champions when his contract at Crystal Palace expired, is so far out of the first-team picture at his boyhood favourites he didn’t even figure in the official first-team squad photograph for the current season.
McCarthy was on the verge of a dream move to Celtic in September 2009 before Wigan whisked him across the border from Hamilton Accies.
The defensive midfielder won an FA Cup medal at the club before a £7.5million switch to Everton four years later.
He had two seasons at Selhurst Park before joining the Ange Postecoglou Revolution in August 2021.
Unfortunately, the move did not work out for McCarthy and the nearest he has got to appearing in the hoops this season has been outings in the Lowland League.
