Saints in for Aiden

McGeady linked to €7m move

Republic of Ireland's Aiden McGeady. Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE

Aidan Fitzmaurice

SOUTHAMPTON are lining up a €7million bid to land Ireland international Aiden McGeady in the January transfer window, according to reports in Moscow.

McGeady flew into Dublin last night to link up with the Ireland squad for the first time under the regime of Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane.

And after an impressive display in last month's win over Kazakhstan, the winger is hoping to use the games against Latvia and Poland to cement his place in the Irish side under O'Neill, who handed McGeady his Celtic debut back in 2004.

McGeady is one of the players in the Irish squad who may need clear-the-air talks with Keane as the pair have clashed before.

Keane was critical of McGeady's efforts for Ireland, prompting McGeady to retort: "He is just one of those guys who has something to say about everything".

The Ireland man is out of contract with Spartak Moscow at the end of this season and he has already told the club that he won't sign a new deal as he is eager to move back to the UK.

Spartak, in joint second place in the Russian league, do not want to lose McGeady as they aim to secure Champions League football for next season but may be keen to do a deal to recoup some of the €10m which they paid Celtic for him in 2010.