Keith Wyness shares the 'best thing' for Dermot Desmond after scathing Celtic statement

Dermot Desmond is now at the stage where he needs to swallow his pride and attempt to sell Celtic to a new owner.

That is according to former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the board's situation at Parkhead has now gone beyond all repair.

This comes after protests against Desmond at the recent Alfred Dunhill Links golf championship, which was followed by a scathing statement from the club.

Wyness believes that the Irish businessman simply must now realise that his time at the club is up, and attempt to sell as quickly as possible.

The Celtic hierarchy have been locked in an ongoing war with their own fanbase over the last 12 months, and the relationship is now at its worst stage yet.

Wyness told Football Insider earlier this week that Desmond was left "personally embarrassed" by the disruption at the golf tournament, and he now believes he has no choice but to pull away.

Keith Wyness calls for Willie Haughey takeover

Aberdeen's former chief Wyness - who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004 and now runs a consultancy business advising elite clubs - believes that a takeover would be the "best thing" to happen to Celtic right now.

He pointed towards the recent links with a consortium backed by Willie Haughey and ex-Bhoys boss Brendan Rodgers as a possible route out of the Desmond reign.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained how there may now be no way back for Desmond.

"I think the fans have got a lot of reasons to complain right now, as we discussed in many weeks, but I think Desmond did it wrong with the statement," he said.

"The talk about another group trying to buy Desmond out, Willie Haughey and even Brendan Rodgers have been connected with that; if there is truth behind that, that would be the best thing that could happen to Celtic right now.

"I think Desmond's got to realise his time may be up, and I think it's just the way this has just been brought into focus.

"All he's done is actually increase the focus on it by trying to ban the fan group rather than trying to handle this in a different way. His own crisis PR people did not serve him very effectively in this situation."

Keith Wyness updates on Celtic takeover 'syndicates'

Wyness told Football Insider at the end of September that he has heard there are multiple "syndicates" plotting a move to buy Celtic.

The prospect of a takeover has been fuelled by Desmond's angry reactions in recent months, as a wedge continues to be driven between the board and the fans.

Wyness believes that a takeover at Celtic could potentially come from several different sources, not just the group involving Haughey and Rodgers.

Desmond first invested in Celtic way back in 1994, but his involvement with the club could be about to draw to a close.