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Caldwell warns Celtic over deal

Posted on September 17, 2009 at 11:11 AM.

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Caldwell says his contract demands are not excessive

Defender Gary Caldwell has warned Celtic that he will leave the club if he fails to agree a new contract.

The 27-year-old Scotland international, whose deal runs out next summer, said Celtic were "kidding themselves on" if they felt his demands were too high.

"I've proved I'm an asset to the football club and we asked for figures which fell in line with that," he said.

Celtic say contract negotiations with Caldwell, who joined the club from Hibernian in 2006, are "ongoing".

Caldwell has established himself at the heart of Celtic's defence and has also captained the side in the absence of injured skipper Stephen McManus.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray said in July that he hoped Caldwell would extend his deal with the club.

However, speaking in Tel Aviv ahead of Thursday's Europa League tie against Hapoel, Caldwell said: "My agent went in and asked for figures which weren't anything near the highest paid player at the club.

"They were on a par with the players who are playing week in, week out, which I have done now over the last four years. I've proved I'm an asset to the football club and we asked for figures which fell in line with that.

"If the club say that's too much then I think they are kidding themselves on that they can pay others a lot more than they can pay me. That's their opinion of me as a footballer and we have to move on.

"I need to know what is happening. If the contract runs out, it runs out. That's life and you have to move on. It's something the club will have to answers to because I don't know."

Caldwell said he wanted to remain at Celtic but warned that he would be prepared to seek a fresh challenge.

"As I've said in the past, I want to play for Celtic and want to sign for Celtic. That's always been my stance and it's the club who have not been forthcoming," he added.

"Allowing my contract to run down could probably be good for me financially, but I have a young family and we want to stay in Scotland with Celtic.

"It's gone very quiet, though. If you are asking when my agent last had talks with the chief executive Peter Lawwell, it was a long time ago - a long time ago. It was left in the club's hands.

"Since then, nothing. I've spoken to the manager about it, but what was said will be kept between us."

Caldwell was last term voted player of the year by both the Scottish Football Writers' Association and the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League.