With John Kennedy revealing that Celtic are only planning on making 2-3 signings this summer, much of their plans will depend on retaining as many of the successful 9-in-a-row squad as possible.
However, there remains doubts over the future of Jonny Hayes with former Rangers full-back, Alan Hutton, in an interview with Football Insider, expressing his surprise that he is yet to commit his future to the Hoops.
So what has Hutton said?
When asked about Hayes’ situation and the lack of information regarding his Parkhead future, he said:
“It’s a strange one. He’s got pace, every time that he came in he did well and he is versatile, he can be an attacking threat or when they were playing 3-5-2 he played that wing-back role very well.
“It does surprise me a little bit, I don’t know if there’s maybe more to the story than we know but maybe this is the reason they’re looking at other players, maybe they’re looking towards the future a bit.
“The likes of Jonny Hayes, these are the type of boys you can trust and rely on to maybe not play every game but when they do come in they give you 110 per cent and that’s what he’s done.
“Maybe there’s something on the cards, maybe he’s got a move ready and waiting that appeals to him more so we’ll see in the upcoming window.”
So is Hutton correct?
Hayes is very much the definition of a utility man, not good enough to start in any one of three positions that he is capable of playing in, however, he is a useful player to have on the bench.
What goes against Hayes is that there are younger and more suitable players available to play at both left-back and left wing-back in Greg Taylor and Boli Bolingoli, and he has very rarely seen game time as a winger, especially since Neil Lennon switched to a 3-5-2. formation.
With money likely to be tight across football, allocating unnecessary wages to a squad player doesn’t make good business sense regardless of the fact – and Hutton is right – that Hayes has never let the side down when he has been called upon to do a job – with the former Aberdeen man turning 33 in the summer, he will be hoping for one last long term contract, one he is unlikely to be offered at Parkhead.