Gvidas Gineitis has admitted a summer move to Celtic would have been an “interesting and rewarding experience” after the Hoops failed to strike a deal with Torino.
Martin O’Neill made no secret of his desire to strengthen Celtic’s midfield during the transfer window and later confirmed the club had “more than an interest” in the Lithuania international.
However, negotiations with Torino failed to progress sufficiently and Gineitis ultimately remained in Serie A.
Now away on international duty with Lithuania, the 22-year-old has opened up on the transfer speculation and admitted it was difficult to completely ignore the possibility of a move.
Speaking to 15min.lt, Gineitis said: “Whether you want to or not, you still think about it a little bit. You realise that maybe something could happen, that something is happening. But I’m glad that I always manage to focus on the club I’m with right now.”
Asked specifically about the prospect of joining Celtic, Gineitis added: “It would be an interesting and rewarding experience, it would be interesting to test myself at that level, at a club like that. But for now, I’m where I am.
“If the club [Torino] wanted to sell me and another club wanted to buy me, the question would be what terms they’d offer me to play for that club.
“Of course, I would consider that option if it would help me and if I wanted to leave myself. Ultimately, it would all depend on my own decision anyway.”
O’Neill previously revealed Celtic’s interest in Gineitis and explained why the proposed deal failed to materialise.
“We had more than an interest in him at the time,” O’Neill said of Gineitis earlier this month. “But it’s all very well having an interest and people feeling that they might want to come, you still have to negotiate with the club. That was a major thing at the end of the day.
“When clubs become adamant about a certain price for a player – and we are not in the market for overpriced players like in England – you have to deal with it as best as you can.
“If you feel there is a price for a player, sure you can negotiate, but if there is not really any phenomenal negotiations, then you need to do other things.”
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