Out of contract Celtic man Jonny Hayes admits leaving could be the best thing for him as he targets more regular playing time.
It was confirmed this week that the Irishman will leave the Premiership champions after three seasons.
While the 32-year-old was expecting to be offered a new deal after discussions with Neil Lennon, he feels leaving could be a blessing in disguise.
Hayes is expected to attract plenty of interest from Premiership clubs, including his former side Aberdeen and he told TalkSport: “If you’re on the outskirts and not playing each week then it’s an easier decision to be made.
“But when you are involved and playing, it comes down to football. Maybe, for whatever reason, if I’d stayed at Celtic, I might not have got as much game time.
“I’m a little bit older now, it’s probably better for me to go out and play more regularly.
“I loved my time at Celtic. I went there to try to win some trophies and I’ve done that. Now it’s time to move forward and maybe play a bit more regularly somewhere.
“I’ve always loved Aberdeen, there’s no doubt about it. It’s been an option before, I don’t know if it would be an option now.
“Previously, when I was out of favour at Celtic, there was talk of going back there on loan.”
