New Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou wants the club to pursue a deal for Aaron Mooy ahead of bringing James McCarthy to Parkhead this summer, GIVEMESPORT can exclusively reveal. 

What's the latest Celtic transfer news? 

Last month, we revealed that a deal to bring the Crystal Palace midfielder up to Glasgow was at an advanced stage upon the expiration of his contract at Selhurst Park. 

While that move could still happen, it was clearly put together during a difficult period for the Scottish giants in that they had not yet installed a permanent manager. With Postecoglou now in tow, the 55-year-old is eager to accelerate a move for Mooy as he believes the player is more in line with how he wants his new-look team to set up.

A deal for McCarthy remains tentatively in place, although it is not currently seen as a priority. 

What's the latest on Mooy's future? 

Earlier this month, The World's Game revealed that there had been 'talk' of an approach from Celtic in Shanghai, where Mooy has been playing since leaving Brighton in the summer of 2020. 

For their part, Shanghai SIPG aren't thought to be likely to play hardball when it comes to any potential negotiation as they understand they are currently in a difficult situation in terms of living away from their families in COVID-secure bubbles. 

Are there any stumbling blocks? 

Although his current club may be receptive to an idea of a sale, there would appear to be an obvious stumbling block when it comes to trying to bring Mooy across to Scotland as part of Postecoglou's rebuild. 

After moving to China in 2020, The Athletic revealed that the former Huddersfield Town star was earning in the region of £3m-per-year, representing a significant upgrade on the £60k-per-week he was on in the Premier League. 

At that kind of money, it does seem unlikely Celtic would be able to afford him outside of a significant pay cut, given there have been mixed messages as to the level of investment on offer this summer. 

What has Postecoglou said about his plans? 

Speaking to the club's official website after his unveiling last week, the former Australia manager - who worked with Mooy during their time together with the Socceroos - talked up his experience. 

“As a manager, you always get opportunities where there is a massive challenge," he said. 

"I’ve been at places where things weren’t running smoothly, and it’s been up to me to get the team playing well. I understood that before I got here. I’m not really looking at gains that we have to make over last year, I’m looking at the football we play.

“If we get the fundamentals right, if we play our football, we’ll have a good chance at success. For me, that’s a day-to-day proposition. Every club I’ve managed, the focus has been on making sure every day we’re getting better. At the end of the race, we’ll lift our heads, and hopefully we’re in first place.”

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