Martin Odegaard is likely to be told this week he will not be included in the Real Madrid squad for the new season.
Boss Rafa Benitez rates the 16-year-old midfielder highly, but reckons the Norwegian wonderboy is too inexperienced for the step up at the Bernabeu.
The former Liverpool manager is now likely to sanction a season-long loan for the player to gain experience elsewhere – and that is bound to interest Ronny Deila.
It was the Celtic manager who introduced the teenage ace to first team football when he was in charge at Stromsgodset. Deila also targeted the player in January before he agreed to join the Spanish giants and leave the Hoops, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax and several English top-flight clubs disappointed.
Benitez would be happy for Odegaard to play for a further season with their second string side Real Madrid Castilla under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane. However, the Norwegian international is keen to operate at a higher level. The left-sided operator will discover his future within the next week and his availability is certain to spark a scramble from would-be suitors.
Deila has previously dismissed reports that Celtic had approached Real Madrid about taking the teenager on loan, despite reports emerging from the continent that a loan deal for Odegaard was imminent and that Celtic had won the race to secure the player for a season.
Think we can file this one as being unlikely but on the other hand, it is a funny old game…