CHAMPIONSHIP duo Stoke City and Preston are competing for Jonny Hayes after the Scottish Champions decided not to offer the 32-year-old a new contract. Hayes, who posted what appeared to be an emotional goodbye to the club on Instagram, is due to leave the club at the expiration of his contract and enter the uncertain transfer market as a free agent.

However, according to the Daily Mail, Preston North End and Stoke City ‘lead the hunt’ for Hayes. The former Aberdeen attacker has become a makeshift left back at Celtic since joining back in the summer of 2017. Although, after winning 8 out of a possible 8 trophies, he leaves Celtic with his head held high as a part of the club’s history.

In 62 appearances for the Scottish Champions, Hayes’ highlight was probably his goal at Ibrox, which sealed Celtic’s 2-0 win over Steven Gerrard’s side.

Hayes had been likely to get a new deal from the Scottish Champions; however, the Coronavirus pandemic may have drastically changed Celtic’s plans for the next season meaning that players that are on a decent wage are to be moved on to make space for new signings to improve the side.