Jonny Hayes has starred for Aberdeen in recent seasons – but is he really good enough for Celtic?
On initial inspection, Celtic’s plan to offer Aberdeen talented young midfielder Ryan Christie, plus a hefty wad of cash, for star man Jonny Hayes raises a few questions, as reported by the Scottish Sun.
Christie may have struggled to make an impact since arriving from Inverness but the technically gifted free-kick specialist has offered a timely reminder of his talents during half a season on loan at The Dons in 2016/17.
In fact, he lifted the club’s Player of the Year award despite a) being owned by a league rival and b) only staying at Pittodrie for five months.
Ryan Christie at Celtic
Hayes, on the other hand, is 29-years-of-age.
Yet, it must be remembered that the three-time Republic of Ireland international was the major reason why Aberdeen finished second once again behind Celtic. Hayes was the only non-Hoops star to earn a nomination for Scotland’s Player of the Year award.
And his beautifully taken volley gave Brendan Rodgers an almighty scare in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park before Celtic roared back to lift the treble.
Moreover, bringing Hayes to Parkhead would not only strengthen Celtic but also severely weaken their nearest rivals. Bayern Munich, who raided Borussia Dortmund for Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels and Mario Gotze, would be proud.
But what do Celtic fans think?
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