GREEN LIGHT

to do with football, even more so now it’s Celtic. The start of the conversation was pretty much, regardless of everything else, it’s Celtic. “He said when he came here he saw the training kit and was just staring at it for five minutes before he spoke to the media. He has obviously been down at some big clubs in England, at Liverpool, at Chelsea as well. For him to have that opinion of Celtic is enough. I thought:‘if he can think that having been at those big clubs it says a lot’.”

Hayes has found the past two weeks fretful after finding out about Celtic’s pursuit of him immediately after Aberdeen had lost to Rodgers’ treblewinners in a classic Scottish Cup final. “We tried to get the deal

JONNY HAYES done on the Monday. [There was talk but] once I spoke to him I knew it was for real. I think maybe the clubs were aware that something was going on. I’m glad I wasn’t told because I didn’t want to be distracted by it.

“But, as soon as I spoke to the manager and knew it was for real, there was only one place that I wanted to come.

“I can’t remember the last time I looked forward to coming back into pre-season. As soon we got the all-clear with the medical and I knew it was happening,icouldn’twaitto signthatpiece of paper and get it confirmed.

“I then started thinking: ‘What if something happens to me? What if, God forbid, I am in a car crash or something?’ I wrapped myself in cotton wool for a few days until we got it over the line.”

Hayes has arrived just when the prospect of Patrick Roberts being signed on on a permanent basis appears to have disappeared. The Republic of Ireland

“He [Brendan Rodgers] said when he came here he saw the training kit and was just staring at it for five minutes before he spoke to the media. For him to have that opinion of Celtic is enough”