A TRANSFER tug-of-war over Ryan Christie has delayed the completion of Celtic’s £1million move for Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes.
The Dons want to sign the 22-year-old midfielder as part of a player-plus-cash agreement.
However, the six-in-a-row champions are unwilling to let the former Inverness Caley Thistle player leave on a permanent basis and will only allow him to return on loan to Pittodrie.
Christie spent the second half of last season with Derek McInnes’ side after joining in January, scoring seven goals in 15 appearance.
Despite the delay in the reported move for Hayes, he is still expected to end up at Parkhead despite being under contract at the Pittodrie outfit until 2019.
English Championship sides Cardiff City and Birmingham City are also interested in the pacy attacker, but look set to miss out after Hayes expressed a preference to work again with Brendan Rodgers, his former academy coach at Reading.
The Hoops gaffer is a long-time admirer of Hayes, who joined the Dons from Caley Thistle in 2012.
CQN told you on the day after Celtic’s recent 3-1 win at Pittodrie that Brendan was interested in signing Hayes. The article was titled Dry Your Eyes Willie Miller, read back HERE. Just saying…
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