Deila admits he is a fan of Wilson as Celtic eye new centre-backs

Danny Wilson: Year left on deal. Picture: Jane Barlow

The future of Celtic’s current first choice centre-halves, Virgil van Dijk and Jason Denayer, is uncertain with both players potentially in line to be performing in the English Premier League after the summer.

It has emerged that Wilson, who has skippered Hearts to their emphatic Scottish Championship title success this season, is on a list of potential replacements drawn up by Deila’s scouting department.

“He [Wilson] is one of many names we are looking at,” said Deila. “I know all about him, of course. He is a good player but there is nothing in that right now. We are looking for central defenders.”

Former Rangers and Liverpool defender Wilson has a year left on his contract at Hearts, meaning the 23-year-old Scotland international could represent a relative bargain for Celtic in the transfer market.

Hearts owner Ann Budge was typically pragmatic in her response to queries over possible bids for Wilson or any of the Tynecastle club’s promotion-winning squad. She said: “There has been and will be a lot of interest in our players and management team.

“If we lose one or two players, we will be disappointed. But it won’t bring everything to a standstill.

“Am I confident we can hang on to the majority of the people we currently have? Yes I am. The majority have bought into what