Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady's days as a Celtic player look numbered after the winger's agent confirmed he would not accept the two-week first-team ban slapped on him by manager Gordon Strachan.
McGeady looks set to drag the pair's dispute through the club's internal appeals process in a bid to overturn the suspension and a fine of two weeks' wages imposed by Strachan after Saturday's dressing-room bust-up at Parkhead.
The move risks opening up an irrevocable rift between player and manager and, unless he backs down, it is hard to see him pulling on a Celtic jersey again under the current regime.
And with the club announcing the signing of Niall McGinn from Derry City a matter of minutes after revealing McGeady's punishment, the 22-year-old could even be sold as soon as New Year's Day.
Agent David Holbrook, who had claimed on Monday he knew nothing about the disagreement, said last night: "I can confirm that Aiden has been fined by the club and suspended. He's shocked, disappointed — and I can say he will be appealing.
"He feels that the action is completely unjustified."
Any internal appeal looks doomed to failure, with McGeady's punishment given unanimous approval by the Celtic board.
It is understood McGeady could take his case to the Scottish Premier League if he is unhappy at the outcome.
The decision to suspend him was a brave one by Strachan, given that he is effectively banning his star player from the derby trip to Rangers on December 27th.
Holbrook reports McGeady is particularly upset at missing the Old Firm encounter, adding: "He remains 110 per cent Celtic — he's supported them, trained with them and loves them.
"But there's a difference between how Aiden feels he's been treated by the club's hierarchy, as opposed to his relationship with the club at large."
Saturday was not the first time McGeady and Strachan have reportedly clashed, with rumours of a confrontation following the August 31st defeat to Rangers.
McGeady subsequently found his first-team opportunities limited, although he was eventually restored to the starting XI.
He had only recently returned to the team following a month out injured and was in goal-scoring form in last Wednesday's Champions League win over Villarreal.
But he was one of a number of players to put in a below-par performance in Saturday's 1-1 Clydesdale Bank Premier League draw with Hearts, with the culprits all given a post-match dressing-down.
McGeady is thought to have been the only one to question his treatment.
He was the undoubted star of Celtic's SPL title triumph last season, winning both the SPFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards. But he has struggled to recapture that form this term, leading to speculation he could be sold.
It smacked of more than coincidence that the club decided to go public with McGeady's punishment minutes before announcing the signing of McGinn from Derry City yesterday.
McGinn, who has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal from January 1st for an undisclosed fee, is more of a prospect than an established star but he operates in the same areas as McGeady and is a year younger.
A boyhood Hoops fan, he told his new club's official website, www.celticfc.net: "I'm absolutely delighted to be here.
"It's been a great season for me with Derry, and to now have joined Celtic just tops it all off. There was another club showing real interest. But when I knew Celtic wanted to sign me, my mind was made up. I've just been working hard and I'm over the moon to get it all sorted."
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