Could Spurs rejecting Appiah benefit Celtic?

Following Celtic's dealings during the transfers windows can be frustrating, with rumour and counter rumour but no real action. But it must be far worse for a player without a club, a position Stephen Appiah finds himself in following his trial with Spurs.

Reports over Christmas suggested Appiah had a trial with Celtic, was impressed with the facilities at Lennoxtown, then went down to North London to try and show Harry Redknapp what he could offer. As a former Ghana captain and Juventus star, Appiah would be an impressive signing for any club.

Or would he? Appiah, 28, is currently available on a free after being released by Turkish giants Fenerbahce, for one reason or another (and he still has some sort of contractual dispute). The midfielder has played little football as of late, even when he did have a club, after suffering a serious knee injury.

Now, it seems, despite rumours of Spurs considering a £70,000-a-week deal for Appiah until the end of the season, Redknapp decided to look elsewhere. Whether Appiah's previous injury had anything to do with his decision is unclear, but it's unlikely the player will be plying his trade with the Premier League strugglers in the near future.

But, while Spurs have opted for Wigan's Wilson Palacios, West Ham and Portsmouth are now thought to be interested. Assuming no deal is done between the player and these two clubs, and that is a big assumption, is there any chance Celtic could still make a move, and would such a move be wise?

Obviously, the £70,000-a-week figure would be out of Celtic's price-range, and even £30,000 would look excessive given the player's previous injury issues. Such a figure would also make Appiah the club's highest-earning player, on about £1,500-a-week more than the forgotten Bobo Balde.

But, if come deadline day Appiah is still without a club, would it be worth Celtic trying to cobble together some form of "pay-as-you-play" deal? A bit more beef in the midfield department would be useful, and Appiah is a classy player - and surely he'd rather play for a reduced amount of money compared to what he'd like than not play at all and earn nothing?

Fantasy land, perhaps, but if Appiah really was as impressed with the facilities Celtic have to offer, then a short-term deal is feasible. And, if it helped Celtic secure the title and allowed Appiah to show clubs across Europe he has fully recovered from his injury, then everyone could win out of such a move.