RONNY DEILA today revealed he tried to sign Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard for Celtic - then refused to rule out the 16-year-old sensation coming to Parkhead on loan in future.

Odegaard, who broke through at Stromsgodset under the Hoops boss, put pen to paper with Champions League winners Real Madrid in a £3million deal on Wednesday.

However, the hottest property in European football held face-to-face talks with his former manager and mentor before he agreed to join the Spanish giants.

Deila is confident the skilful attacking midfielder, who is set to start off playing in the Real B team managed by Zinedine Zidane, will be a huge success at the Bernabeu.

However, the Celtic manager confirmed he will monitor his progress and could look to bring him to Glasgow on a temporary basis to give him experience of first team football.

He said: "I hoped to get him to Celtic, of course, but I knew it was going to be hard with all the options. I was speaking with him. I met him and his father and talked with them, but I knew all the way that it was going to be very, very hard. I just said that we're an option.

"Here, you have a better chance to play. This is a between step to the biggest clubs.

"I have a good relationship with Martin and his father. They called me the day they chose Real Madrid. There's not many times in your life you get the option to go to Real Madrid.

"So, when you first have the chance, I think it's good. It's not going to ruin his career. It can't be very bad. I understand his choice.

"I think it's an exciting move. It's very hyped in Norway. It's the biggest thing that ever happened I think, the first Norwegian player to join Madrid. So it's a big thing. I'm happy for him. It's going to be so exciting to see how far he can reach."

Asked if Odegaard could join him at Celtic on loan, Deila said: "You never know in football. We want to loan players that have a big impact on the team like Jason Denayer is doing. This could be possible. You never know in football. Hopefully I could work with him again."

The baby-faced teenager will bank an incredible £120,000 a week salary with the La Liga club - but Deila is confident he will cope with the high-profile move.

He said: "If I rated his attitude from 1 to 100, it is 100. He takes very quickly to all the levels he has come to. He's the guy who trains the most. He's very humble and very, very mature as a boy.

"He has the attitude to succeed. It's going to be so exciting to see what happens. He loves to play football. Money is not the issue for him. In Norway, money is okay so that's not the biggest problem."