Celts eye Boyata
CELTIC are attempting to push through a deal for Manchester City centre-back Dedryck Boyata. Manager Ronny Deila, whose team drew 0-0 at St Johnstone last night, was joined by assistant John Collins and chief executive Peter Lawwell on Thursday when they met the 24-year-old and his representative in Manchester. Boyata, who earned his solitary senior cap for Belgium back in
2010, has a year left on his contract with the Barclays Premier League giants. However, City are willing to let him leave this summer as they look to reshape their squad. Ironically, his place at the Etihad Stadium could go to Jason Denayer, who has been hugely impressive during his season-long loan spell with Celtic. Following last night’s stalemate in Perth, Deila was asked if he was confident of concluding the signing. ‘We’ll see,’ he said. ‘We are talking with a lot of players now, going around to try to strengthen our squad. He is one of them. ‘I try to keep those conversations to myself until something is ready. You never know in football.’ Deila declined to comment as to whether it would be a loan or a permanent switch, but insisted he was seeking early business ahead of Celtic’s Champions League qualifiers in mid-July. ‘We always want to do that,’ he added. ‘It’s hard but we hope we will have added some players when we come back in late June.’ Boyata has made a total of six appearances for Manuel Pellegrini’s side this term, including one league start. On City’s books since 2006, he has previously had loan spells with Bolton and Dutch side FC Twente. Boyata would be a direct replacement for Denayer, although a summer of speculation also awaits in terms of Virgil van Dijk’s future. Meanwhile, Deila was unhappy with how a much-changed Celtic side defended in an incredibly open affair at McDiarmid Park. ‘It was a crazy game,’ he said. ‘We were all over the pitch defensively. It was a miracle that it was 0-0.’ James Forrest missed a glaring chance late on when he rounded goalkeeper Alan Mannus but fired wide after the ball bobbled. ‘I think you can see the bounce off the pitch,’ insisted Deila. ‘You could grow potatoes out there. Strange things will happen — and that was a strange thing.’ St Johnstone created a huge number of opportunities, yet manager Tommy Wright refused to be downcast at not landing a second win over Celtic this year. ‘Of course I am happy because the performance makes me happy,’ said the Northern Irishman. ‘We had 23 attempts on goal against the best team in the country. It is a good point on the board.’ Wright, whose team are in a race for fourth place with Dundee United, said: ‘They have to win their next two games to get fourth, but they are at Inverness next and that will be tough.’