BRENDAN RODGERS reject Gary Mackay-Steven is back in Scottish football after a seven-month search for a club – and could face Celtic at the weekend.
The 33-year-old winger has agreed a short-term deal with Kilmarnock and could be in Derek McInnes’ squad for the visit of the champions to Rugby Park for Sunday’s noon kick-off.
Mackay-Steven was released by Hearts at the end of the season and was recently seen training with the Ayrshire squad in a bid to earn a contract.
STRIKE ONE…Gary Mackay-Steven fires a left-foot drive past Partick Thistle keeper Scott Fox for a debut goal in Celtic’s 3-0 win at Firhill on February 11 2015.
The three times-capped Scotland international has now signed terms until the start of the winter break on January 3, according to a report in The Scottish Sun.
Killie have seven games during the busy schedule which ends with a match against Philippe Clement’s side at Ibrox two days into the new year.
The tricky touchline operator was brought to the Hoops by ex-boss Ronny Deila in a £2million double deal with Stuart Armstrong from Dundee United in January 2015.
Mackay-Steven scored 10 goals in 52 appearances for the Norwegian, but he faded from the first-team picture when Rodgers arrived in May 2016.
He made only 10 outings and failed to claim a solitary strike in the Irishman’s debut campaign before leaving in July 2017 for Aberdeen where McInnes was the Pittodrie gaffer.
Mackay-Steven, who won four trophies at Parkhead, also had a reunion with Deila at New York City in the MLS after leaving the north-east club in 2019 before returning to Scotland with the Tynecastle club.
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