Celtic target makes U-turn as ex-Hoops starlet named 'top 60 talent' set for Scottish Premiership return

Celtic’s reported interest in West Ham United striker Callum Wilson appears to be dead in the water after the English Premier League side made a major U-turn on his future at the club.

According to a report from Sky Sports last week, Celtic were one of several clubs to have enquired about the Hammers hitman as they look to bolster their frontline. The former Newcastle United man had scored 49 goals at St James Park before his summer move to the London Stadium, but was rumoured to be available for transfer this January after falling down the pecking order in East London.

Despite those links, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill appeared to dismiss a move for the veteran hitman, admitting he thought he was moving elsewhere. “We are in search of those elusive goalscorers,” said O’Neill. “On a serious note, I can't tell you anything about it, but we are making progress. I hadn't thought about that [signing Wilson], not that he is not a very fine player, but I thought that he was going elsewhere.”

Callum Wilson had been tipped to leave West Ham United in recent weeks. | Getty Images

Wilson was said to have courted interest from the Hoops, Everton, and Saudi Arabia after head coach Nuno Espírito Santo opted not to include him in the matchday squad for the club’s recent games against Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest. However, the 33-year-old returned to the West Ham team explosively at the weekend by scoring a 93rd-minute winner in the 2-1 derby win away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

His fifth goal of the season in just eight English Premier League starts, reports now claim the club wants to keep him this month after deciding against sanctioning a departure for the experienced hitman, despite previous indications that they could allow him rip up his contract and move elsewhere before the January window slammed shut.

Meanwhile, Aberdeen are targeting a move for former Celtic academy graduate Liam Morrison on a loan deal until the end of the season. The Queens Park Rangers centre-back has struggled for regular game time at Loftus Road this season, starting just one of the club’s last nine games, and is said to be keen on departing this month for regular minutes.

Former Celtic academy star Liam Morrison is a reported loan target for Aberdeen this month. | Getty Images

Reports indicate that Morrison is poised to return to Scotland, where he will link up with managerless Aberdeen on a loan deal for the remainder of the campaign. The Scotland youth international, who has also spent time with Bayern Munich, will add to a backline that has been severely depleted in recent weeks, with Alfie Dorrington recalled by Tottenham Hotspur and Gavin Molloy still out injured.

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