Jonny Hayes signed for Celtic from Aberdeen last summer but has made just six Scottish Premiership starts for The Hoops.
This time last year, Jonny Hayes was one of the hottest prospects in Scottish football.
The Irish winger had just enjoyed a fantastic season for Aberdeen and was the only non-Celtic man on the SPFA Player of the Year nomination list.
And by the middle of June, Hayes’ fine form was rewarded with a switch to the Scottish champions. As reported by the Express, Celtic paid £1.3 million for him while allowing Ryan Christie to join The Dons on a season-long loan as part of the deal.
12 months on, however, Hayes has gone from rising star to forgotten man. The 30-year-old struggled to make an impression at Parkhead, making just six league starts before a broken leg in December brought a premature end to a disappointing debut season in green and white.
And it would have been little surprise if Celtic decided to cash in on Hayes, just one year after he arrived amid big expectations. But latest reports from the Daily Record seem to suggest that the four-time international still has a future in Glasgow.
It is understood that Hayes is returning to fitness and could be ready to feature in the first pre-season game against Austrian side SK Vorwarts Steyr later this month. And the report states that his re-emergence would be a boost for Rodgers, given that Hayes’ ability to fill in at left-back gives Celtic a useful back-up for Kieran Tierney.
Hayes might not be the star he was at Aberdeen but he could still be a valuable squad player for Celtic. And it is this versatility which might just keep him around.
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