NO-GO McGEADY

RONNY DEILA has rubbished reports Aiden McGeady could be on his way back to Celtic in a sensational loan move from Everton.

The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland international could be available on a short-term deal this month.

He is seeking game time ahead of the Euro 2016 Finals in France this summer, but Deila doesn’t believe the Hoops are in a position to pay the salary the winger would command.

The Norwegian said: “We have tried before to get those types of players, but they get three times the salary at other places.

“It’s also more interesting for them to play in England than Scotland. It’s tough and you never say never, but it’s a different planet when you talk salaries.

“It has to be players who want to come to Glasgow and play for Celtic – like Carlton Cole. He went down a lot in salary.

“We would not be able to pay the salary that the likes of McGeady are on. The difference is so unbelievably big that’s there is no chance. The wage structure would be broken 10 times if we did that!

“When you get someone and then they leave in the summer it becomes a tough situation afterwards. Sometimes you can do it. If you feel you can build a relationship with the player during the time he’s on loan then maybe you can keep him longer.

“Maybe with players like McGeady, who has been here before, when he reaches the end of his career he’ll want to come back again. That’s possible, of course.

“But I haven’t talked with him about that, although these types of names we are talking about. I don’t know what Dermot did before. You’d need to talk with him about that. But we’d need to have the opportunity to buy him. That’s an important thing for us.”

The Parkhead side’s first match of the year comes in the Glasgow derby against Partick Thistle tomorrow, but Deila doesn’t foresee the club undergoing much in the way of transfer business early in the window, other than welcoming Ryan Christie to the club, having been on-loan from Inverness Caley Thistle ever since his signing in the summer.

The club have been linked with Croatian midfielder Ivan Mocinic, but any movement on that deal seems unlikely until late in the month.

Deila added: “I hope to do early business, but I don’t expect it. Clubs are always waiting and players, too. It’s about money and options.”