‘NO-BRAINER’: EX-HOOPS STAR CALLS FOR GRIFF DEAL

CELTIC striker Leigh Griffiths MUST be given a contract extension by the Hoops hierarchy.

The 30-year-old hitman has struggled over the past three seasons and his headed equaliser against Aberdeen at Pittodrie last week was only his eighth goal of a tortuous campaign.

Griffiths will be free to move in the summer if the Parkhead club do not activate an additional 12-month clause and his former team-mate Charlie Mulgrew reckons it’s a no-brainer to to deal in the frontman.

The Scotland international defender, 35, now playing for Fleetwood Town, said: “You might get an extra bit of motivation from Leigh because he is coming into the last year of his contract if Celtic take up the option.

“If a manager can get the arm around him and get him scoring, a fit Leigh Griffiths is worth his weight in gold.

“Get him fit, get him striking and you know how big confidence is in football. Get him confident and get him scoring goals.

“I think it is a no-brainer.”

DANGER: MAN AT WORK…Leigh Griffiths races away to celebrate his leveller against Aberdeen with Karamoko Dembele in pursuit.

Scots boss Steve Clarke also has a big call to make over whether to include the player in his squad for the Euros in June where the nation will face England, the Czech Republic and Croatia.

But Mulgrew is in no doubt Griffiths should be selected and pointed towards his past heroics with two memorable free-kicks against Joe Hart in a 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw at Hampden in June 2017.

The ex-Hoops centre-half or left-back, speaking to Sky Sports News, added: “Also, if I was Scotland, I would get him in the squad somehow for the Euros.

“He’s a goalscorer and you saw what he did against England the last time. He turns up for the big occasions.

“Leigh is somebody that I would want in my squad and somebody I would want to get the best out of.”