Jonny Hayes has revealed that he had offers to leave Celtic every transfer window since joining the club in the summer of 2017.
Breaking his leg away to Dundee in December 2017 put his hoops career on hold but over the last two seasons he has put in regular strong performances without ever really being a regular.
Hayes’ attitude and versatility seems to have caught the eye with other clubs regularly making enquiries to see if he would be interested in the prospect of more regular football.
On Friday the 32-year-old announced that there was no new contract coming from Celtic but as he explained to The Sun there shouldn’t be any lack of options in the weeks ahead:
I’ve had options previously to go abroad. It would have to be a city where my family could settle.
I’ve always loved Aberdeen. The city alone is brilliant. The wife loved it up there. We’ve always talked about getting a house up there when I finish. It’s something I’d definitely look at.
There have been a couple of conversations about the MLS over the last 18 months. There have been approaches every window since I’ve been at Celtic.
I wouldn’t say that ship’s sailed. It’s something that interests me. Lewis Morgan said he loves his life there. Barry Robson also told me he loved the life there.
Hayes moved to Scotland in 2009 when he signed for Inverness Caley Thistle but it looks like he will be elsewhere next season despite a mutual attraction with Aberdeen.
Scottish football looks like being harder hit than most by the current pandemic with contract offers beyond 12 months highly unlikely as clubs tighten their budgets even further.
