The Cutter understands that Martin O’Neill is lining up fellow Irishman Aiden McGeady and is hoping that following a disappointing Euro campaign for the flying winger a bargain fee could be wrangled. Sunderland have been monitoring McGeady for some time and were encouraged by a recent admission from the player that he had no intention of remaining at Spartak Moscow beyond his current contract that runs until 2014. That has forced Spartak’s hand in moving on the ex-Celtic prodigy who they signed for £9.5m in August 2010. A public bust-up with coach Oleg Romantsev has also precipitated a premature home-coming for a player who was voted the second best winger in the Russian Premier League last term.
The Russian club will be expecting to recoup a sizable percentage of their outlay but were hoping the 26 year old would impress in Poland against the likes of Arbeloa and Maggio and lure in other suitors. Unfortunately, though he started all three games, McGeady failed to impress and was substituted early in two of them.
O’Neill however knows exactly how to get the best out of the frustratingly hot and cold player having worked with him closely at Celtic Park where he played some of his most scintillating football. The Sunderland boss has made no secret of his admiration for McGeady and the two enjoyed a good relationship. Additionally the north-east would be a preferred destination for the player with it being close enough to family in Glasgow who he misses.
Until last week the move was merely one of many possibilities O’Neill had lined up to pep up an under-performing attack line.
With the imminent departure of Stephane Sessegnon however interest has now accelerated to the point where a firm bid could be made prior to pre-season.
The Sunderland boss has done all he can to retain Sessegnon who has been a revelation since his switch last summer from PSG but despite issuing an irritated ‘hands off’ warning to Spurs and Arsenal the player seems destined to leave Wearside.
On Monday a bookmaker suspended all betting on the move to White Hart Lane whilst the Gunners have not yet given up hope of snatching the exciting 28 year old with persistent rumours that the Beninese striker has failed to settle in the north-east.
Though both players are hardly like-for-like – with Sessegnon more of a roaming playmaker/second striker whilst McGeady prefers to hog the touchline – O’Neill believes that his former charge can adapt to a more central role and cause mayhem for Premier League defences. A fee of £8m would mean there would still be cash in the kitty from the hefty sale of Sessegnon to pursue another twinkle-toed target Adam Johnson from Manchester City.
Being a season ticket holder at Celtic park I will say this….
Mcgeady on his day is a fantastic talent BUT !!!!!
He isn’t a patch on young James Forrest !
This boy is very very special !
Tricky…. Quick … Direct … A good finisher… And can deliver devastating crosses!
This boy will make a move to a massive club shortly!
He reminds me of a young giggs
What a comedown this would be for McGeady if there was any truth in it. Starting at the very top with Celtic, two steps back to play in Russia, then five more back to play for Sunderland! I think not. McGeady is too smart for that.
Joe are you having a laugh? Five steps back to play for sunderland hahahaha, we play in the biggest league in the world and are going for European football in the next couple of seasons. Celtic are nothing special, we would beat your starting 11 any day of the week.
Doubtful.
You play in the biggest league (*ahem*) in the world, but are perennially mid to lower table, at best, in modern times with maybe the odd anomaly for good or bad. We beat rennes and drew twice with the Serie A runners up. You are hoping for europe. I hope for a lottery payout. Some days of the week you’d maybe beat us, but you’d take a beating in return those other days.
to the article:
With McGeady, he’s competing for honours now in a strong league. It begs the question why he would go into a team that is only trying for europe. O’Neill is a big lure and he’d be the star of the team. The Euros have been poor but all he was doing was chasing as the team could hardly get the ball to him.
To tag him a frustratingly hot and cold player does him a great disservice. Most Irish assists in qualifiers, prince of the wing second only to the fantastic Arshavin. Kind of makes the hot and cold argument mince. He was at times frustrating at Celtic but he was a solid performer to the point that the team was becoming laboured as he became the relief valve and main creative spark. Not good. Team suffered as a result. No fault of his. He has by all accounts improved greatly so give the guy some due. He is on a fair whack at Moscow and hopefully the embarrassing fortunes of the epl don’t make him lose sight of the progress and ability he has that will surely flourish in some other way at a team competing at tye top end of their championship.
Celtic are nothing special ha ha good one mate did you not see us playing the European Cup the UEFA cup and getting to the UEFA Cup final?? WHat have Sunderland done in that time? Oh thats right NOTHING?? All you nuggets in England come out from under your shells, we have already beat Blackburn, Man Utd, Liverpool, the so called major teams in your GREAT league, your kidding yourselves on! We will come and buy your players for 4m becuase you play in a rubbish league, yeah wake up and smell the coffee, if Carroll is worth 35m and Henderson 16m I can see sunderland winning the league and European Cup ha ha
We beat you three seasons ago 2-0 with a far worse side. O’neill is building a great team here and yes mcgeady would be one of the best players in our team. But to be second best in a 2 team league hardly makes you massive does it? You bought murphy and stokes from us,that shows how much better we are than you you deluded muppet.
you play samaras up front have a word with urself
5 steps back, there is only 2 teams in your league….oh wait make that 1.
Yes you beat Man U in the Champions League a few years ago but you would be the equivalent to a Wigan in the Premier League!
Mcgeady oan his game is unplayable but wen he disny turn up hes average. A do think a move to sunderland is the right thing for him but only because he is linking up with the messiah and only martin can get the best out of him. GBMO. HH
Hope we sign him. Quality player. Watched him for Celtic and was impressed, but it’s a Micky mouse league with Micky mouse players, so hopefully he can do it against the better teams in England. If Celtic came to the premier league they’d struggle for 2-4 years, but once the money started rolling in a club the size of Celtic would be challenging for everything.
celtic fans are deluded! Any player who leaves the SPL (Sunday Pub League) is taking a step up in their career. The pub league is seen as a joke all around the world because it is and the earlier comment by raymy ”the biggest league (ahem) in the world” proves how deluded the jock/paddys or whatever they think they are, really are! The EPL is the biggest, richest, most watched league in the world and thats a fact! A move to league 1 would be a huge step up from scotland never mind the premiership! Oh and didnt the 6th best team in england last year just win the champions league?? I rest my case.