Rumours of a bid for Beram Kayal may be music to Celtic chief’s ears

ONE of those regular internet rumours about Celtic’s Beram Kayal departing was given a dusting down yesterday.

Manchester United were said to be ready to bid £6 million in the January transfer window, with Alex Ferguson requiring to bolster his midfield options following the loss of Darren Fletcher and the current injury absences of Anderson and Tom Cleverly.

It was a variation on a regular theme across the past ten months. Only last week Kenny Dalglish was reported to be “ready to swoop” with an £8m offer for the Israeli internationalist – a story that had Kayal’s advisor and uncle Hamoudi Kayal getting himself into a flutter and stating that his nephew had proved he could play in the English Premier League and that Celtic were always “a stepping stone” to getting a move there.

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There was a time, not so very long ago, that Celtic manager Neil Lennon might have been perturbed by this speculation, especially as regards a player who signed a new deal in October that contracts him to the Glasgow club until 2015. Now, there might be part of the Irishman that would welcome Manchester United and Liverpool entering an auction for the 23-year-old.

In the closing months of last season Kayal, pictured below, appeared to be the man for Lennon to mould his entire team around. On Thursday night, when the Irishman was looking to sacrifice a midfielder for a second striker as his team pushed for the winner required away to Udinese that would send them through in the Europa League, it was the former Maccabi Haifa man who was withdrawn. He grumped off and, indeed, seems to do much grumping these days. His body language might be misleading but it doesn’t suggest a man at one with his football life. His inking a new deal might have been as much to effect an instant doubling of his wage to £15,000 a week as an expression of long-term commitment.

In Udine, Scott Brown, in his first start for three months, and Ki Sung-Yeung became the central pairing as Celtic drove on in the closing minutes. Both delivered impressive performances that would suggest they merit being retained for today’s trip to McDiarmid Park. If Lennon elects to re-establish the Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes frontline partnership, then he has a decision to make over Kayal.

The emergence of Victor Wanyama as a hugely exciting talent in the midfield anchor role makes Kayal seem more dispensable now than could possibly have been envisaged as he seemed to be pushing Celtic towards the title in April. Indeed, the fact that the reliable Joe Ledley has also to be accommodated when restored to full fitness, suggests that Lennon has more capable midfielders than he can know what to do with or keep happy. He wouldn’t say the same about his attacking options, while in defence he might have more centre-backs than he needs…but not in terms of what he would want ideally.

The Celtic manager has stated repeatedly that he wants a new centre-forward and centre-back in the next window. Cashing in on a midfielder could be the means by which he finances that. These targets won’t be players in the 20 to 23 age bracket, costing anywhere between £1m and £2.5m. Rather they will be established performers between the ages of 27 and 30, who would force Celtic to part with the thick end of £4m.

Sometimes team building might require the removal of a block. Kayal once seemed a cornerstone. Now he could dislodged without causing the entire edifice to weaken, while his departure could allow for other pillars to be put in place.