Hayes has experience, pace and is versatile says Malpas

the big games and we were the type of club that, if someone came in for you with a decent offer, you’d have the option to go.”

Hayes – who started out at Reading – eventually left for Aberdeen in 2012 after three seasons with Inverness.

Over 200 games in five seasons and a League Cup winners’ medal in the Granite City followed before he clinched a £1 million move to Celtic.

The winger struggled to establish himself as a Hoops regular but he started several crucial games for the Scottish champions, including the 2019 Scottish Cup Final triumph over Hearts and the stunning Europa League victory over Lazio in Rome last November.

Two months earlier he grabbed the second goal in the Old Firm derby as Neil Lennon’s side beat Rangers 2-0 at Ibrox.

Hayes’ Parkhead exit – which has also led to interest from his old club Aberdeen – came less than two weeks after he picked up his third title medal in three campaigns with the club.

Malpas said: “I thought Jonny would’ve got another contract at Celtic and that he would happily have stayed.

“But maybe they’re trimming their squad a bit to get players in and maybe there wasn’t going to be the chance to play as many games next season.

“He certainly didn’t let Celtic down when he was called upon.

“For United, though, good on them for trying to sign Jonny.

“They’re clearly thinking about the right players and I think that’s the type of player they need.

“He’s experienced and he’s played at a very good level.

He’s still got pace, he can play in more than one position and he’s good in a dressing-room.”