By Alan Hutton

8th Feb, 2023 | 9:18am

Glasgow pundit verdict on Liel Abada quitting Celtic amid 'massive' claim

Alan Hutton has insisted Liel Abada will not quit Celtic for Southampton in the summer.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Rangers defender said that Abada wouldn’t be motivated to move to a club that needs a “massive turnaround”.

According to The Athletic (2 February), the 21-year-old was discussed as a potential option for the Saints, but their preference had always been to wait until the summer.

Southampton scouts were said to have been in Scotland watching both him and his teammate Josip Juranovic, who has now joined Union Berlin on a permanent deal.

The winger’s current Parkhead contract runs until 2026.

When asked if there was any chance Abada could be tempted by Nathan Jones’ side, Hutton told Football Insider: “If you look at Southampton and the situation they are in, there is a massive possibility of them being a Championship football club next year.

“Is that something you want to be a part of? I know they are probably building for the future but everything that is going on with their manager at this moment in time, it is a little bit uncertain.

“Why would you leave somewhere that you are comfortable, happy, winning football matches, going for trophies to go to somewhere there is going to have to be a massive turnaround?

“Personally, it is not something that I would be motivated with so I am pretty sure he will probably be thinking along the same lines.“

In other news, a pundit has claimed Celtic should be ‘worried’ about Leeds United after source’s Ange Postecoglou reveal.