Motherwell centre-half Declan Gallagher is hoping to force through a shock move to boyhood heroes Celtic.
The Scotland international is attracting interest from a number of clubs including the Scottish champions.
Gallagher, 29, is out of contract in the summer but is just six games away from triggering a one-year extension to his deal.
The player feels the extension – which kicks in when he plays 25 league matches this season – will scupper any hopes of a big move with Aberdeen, Hibs, Blackburn Rovers and the Hoops all monitoring his situation.
Gallagher, who starred for Celtic as a youth team player but never made the first team, is desperate not to play the extra six matches - he’s currently on 19 games this season - that will trigger the extension.
The player and his family are passionate Celtic supporters and have their hearts set on a Parkhead return as a seasoned international.
With Christopher Jullien out for up to four months, loan signing Shane Duffy failing to convince and Nir Bitton facing a suspension after his red card at Ibrox on Saturday, Celtic are in need of defensive cover.
He was at Celtic between the ages of 15 and 20 and played in the youth team alongside James Forrest.
A source close to Gallagher said: “He is desperate to play for Celtic and in the current climate, he would be a brilliant signing.
“But with this contract and the automatic extension, he feels he has a gun to his head.”
