Celtic ‘planted’ Jack Grealish story after deal agreed
Celtic likely planted a story about their links to Jack Grealish in the media following his move to Everton.
Everton signed Grealish on a season-long loan deal from Manchester City last week despite interest from several rival clubs.
The deal includes the option for David Moyes’s side to buy the 29-year-old, who is believed to be on around £300,000 a week, for £50million next summer.
Everton are paying £225,000 a week of Grealish’s wages following his switch to Merseyside.
The Athletic reported on 12 August Celtic expressed an interest in signing Grealish, but he never seriously considered joining Brendan Rodgers’s side.
Jamie Vardy could agree move to Scotland
This article contains exclusive comment from Keith Wyness, former Everton, Aston Villa and Aberdeen CEO.
Celtic are still looking to add quality to their squad before the transfer window closes on 1 September.
The Scottish champions have only spent around £3million on the signings of Shin Yamada, Benjamin Nygren, Hayato Inamura, Kieran Tierney, Ross Doohan and Callum Osmand, while Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has joined on loan.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast about the Grealish interest, Wyness said: “I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t take this one seriously.
“I just don’t think Jack would ever have gone to Celtic, and I think it’s more about Celtic putting out a story in the media than anything else.
“No way Jack would have gone up there. It’s not as though he’s at the end of his career.
“It’s not as though he’s been injured forever, having to rehabilitate himself.
“I can see potentially Jamie Vardy going up to Scotland at his age, but not Jack when he’s still 29 and 30 next month.
“That was never going to happen.
“It’s wishful thinking, and it was a mischief-making story.”
Celtic could complete Andy Irving deal
In terms of other transfer activity, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told Football Insider Celtic could sign Andy Irving as they look to reach an agreement with West Ham.
The one-cap Scotland international has attracted interest from Scottish clubs this summer as there is a growing feeling he will leave the London Stadium.
Irving came off the bench for West Ham in their opening-day defeat against Sunderland on 16 August.
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