Gvidas Gineitis has expressed frustration at his lack of game time at Torino after a summer move to Celtic collapsed, admitting "the coach decides" following another substitute appearance.
The 23-year-old Lithuanian international was a long-term target for the Scottish champions, first considered in January as a replacement for Arne Engels after Nottingham Forest made a £25million bid. After Engels completed a £22million move to West Ham earlier this summer, Gineitis emerged as Celtic's top midfield target, with interest increasing in the final days of the transfer window.
Celtic pushed to sign the playmaker before the window closed but were told by the Serie A side that their potential £9m bid would not be enough to tempt them to sell.
International admission and Torino frustration
While on international duty, Gineitis conceded he was open to joining the Scottish champions last summer and would consider a switch in the future. Record Sport understands a deal could be revived in the January transfer window, and the possibility has gathered pace after the playmaker appeared to criticise manager Ignazio Abate.
Gineitis has been limited to cameos off the bench after being hooked at half-time during the defeat to Roma on September 14. After appearing as a substitute in the 3-1 loss to Como last weekend, he told Italian media: "These haven't been the best months of my life, but I've always trained. The manager decides. I wanted to play and I did what I could today."
He also vented about Abate's change in style since taking charge in the summer: "The coach wants us to never be afraid and to play with the ball at our feet, whereas last year we played forward. This year we've changed a lot."
Impact on Oxlade-Chamberlain
A move for Gineitis would likely limit Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's game time even further. The 33-year-old has found minutes hard to come by under Martin O'Neill, just months after signing a one-year contract extension.
Oxlade-Chamberlain joined last season as a free agent to help Celtic secure a domestic double but has spent most of this season on the sidelines. He has been an unused substitute in all but one of Celtic's last six league matches, having received 30 minutes on the pitch as Hearts were beaten 7-1 at Celtic Park.
Former Hearts and Hibs midfielder Michael Stewart believes Oxlade-Chamberlain is in a tough spot at Parkhead after O'Neill settled on a "main midfield" for the season. He told the Scottish Football Social Club: "For me, personally, it falls into same category as Rangers with Derek McInnes. O'Neill and McInnes feel to me like two managers who are loathe to make changes. When they have got a bit of a rhythm and winning games, it's like, 'we are sticking with that team'."
Stewart noted that the former Arsenal and Liverpool man could come in to rest skipper Callum McGregor, adding: "You get to the point at some stage they are going to have to [rest him], otherwise the load will eventually cause a problem."
