Money is bottom line for Brown deal at Celtic

He is a very influential player in the team - and he knows this.

Earlier this week, Ronny Deila described Scott in these pages as Mr Celtic, and there is no doubting he has matured into a strong captain of the club.

The manager is convinced that Scott will not want to leave. In his seven years at Parkhead, he has built up a real affinity with the club and its supporters.

However, as ever, the bottom line is money. Will Celtic be able to put enough on the table?

Scott is already one of the club's top earners, and is playing the best football of his career after finally shaking off the injuries and personal issues which marked earlier years at the club.

This has not gone unnoticed down south, and Scott will have a very good idea what he could be earning in the Premier League.

With his energy and skill, there is no doubt he could do it at a Sunderland or Newcastle.

But, such has been the improvement in him, both for club and country, I could even see a case for suggesting that a Liverpool or Manchester United might see something in him that would appeal to them.

It is going to come down to how much Celtic want him to stay.

It would leave a huge hole in the side - and the club - if he was allowed to go.

You only have to look back to the start of the season when he missed the Champions League qualifiers through injury to appreciate the difference he makes to how the team performs.

Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here