Neil Lennon senses 'vibe' that McGeady wants to quit Celtic

McGeady (pictured) was left out of Celtic's North American tour, which opened with a 1-0 defeat by Philadelphia Union, after suffering a thigh injury.

His absence sparked speculation that he was on the verge of a switch to Aston Villa, but Lennon insists the injury is genuine.

However, the Celtic boss senses that the 24-year-old has his mind set on a move.

"Aiden hasn't said to me he wants to leave in so many words," Lennon said. "But that vibe came from his side of things.

"I know there are conspiracy theories but it's a genuine injury. He picked it up in a bounce game on Saturday behind closed doors.

"We felt that, if we were looking at 10 days, the travelling would make it worse. It was pointless bringing him here if he wasn't going to train and play."

Meanwhile, the Celtic manager has not shut the door on a deal for Jimmy Bullard despite expressing frustration with the demands of some modern-day players.

Bullard's loan move from Hull collapsed after the midfielder demanded money on top of his City wages – which reportedly would have taken his weekly income to 75,000.

Speaking generally, Lennon said: "We all played for the love of the game. But then all these outside influences come on board.

"I can understand people wanting to secure their futures, of course I do, but how much money can you earn?"

He added: "Everything was agreed with Hull and he wanted a bit more but the door is still open for Jimmy if he wants to reconsider."