Michael Stewart has revealed how he could have landed a move to Celtic before opting for a second stint at Hearts.
The ex-Scotland international came through the ranks at Manchester United before moving on loan to Tynecastle in 2005. But the former midfielder shocked the Jambos by crossing the Edinburgh divide to join Hibs at the end of that season.
Celtic interest after Hibs release
After two years at Easter Road, Stewart was released at the end of his contract and claims Celtic were keen on him. However, a deal was complicated by the fact that the Hoops would have to offload high-earners Thomas Gravesen and Jiri Jarosik to finance the switch.
Stewart wasn't prepared to hang around and sensationally returned to Gorgie to re-sign for his boyhood club.
Unfinished business at Tynecastle
Speaking on Not Another Football Podcast, the Scottish football pundit said: “At the end of that season, I knew, obviously. I was like, ‘I wanted to go. There were a few sorts of sniffs.
“Gordon [Strachan] was in at Celtic at the time, and John Park, who was at Hibs, had gone to Celtic, and there were a few Hibs boys who had gone.
“So there was a wee chance of that, but they were talking they would need to move on Jarosik and Gravesen, so they were off the wage before.
“They were like, ‘If you can hang about and wait’… in between that, Hearts had come back in, and I felt like, ‘I want to go back.’
“I felt like I had unfinished business, and I wanted to go back, so I decided to go back to Hearts.”
