RONNY Deila insists that John Guidetti was misunderstood when quotes appeared in a Dutch newspaper this week suggesting he was set to move to Feyenoord when his loan deal with Celtic expires this summer.

The Swede, whose contract at parent club Manchester City also runs out in the next few months, scored 20 goals in 23 matches during a previous loan period at the De Kuip Stadium and clearly made something of an impression. Feyenoord director of recruitment Martin van Geel checked up on him recently, and Guidetti - also linked with Marseille - did little to dampen the speculation when he was reported in a TV interview saying "I want to go back to Feyenoord - and perhaps as soon as possible". After a meeting with the striker, however, Deila feels the player still hasn't closed the door on a permanent deal at Parkhead.

"When I heard what he was meant to have said, I thought, 'that's not a good message to put out'," said Deila. "But I spoke to him and he was upset. He told me that's not what he said. The journalist from Holland called him and asked him about Feyenoord. John has a good relationship with the club and said that he'd like to go back there and play one day. He said 'you never know what will happen' but that was reported as John saying he wanted to go there at once.

"I spoke to John and he told me he is very happy to stay at Celtic," he added. "I still believe it is possible he will be here next season. He needs a home and that home should be Celtic."

Deila's Celtic face United in the Scottish Cup today, with new boys Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong cup tied. The Norwegian understands the distress of United's fans about the duo's departure. "I understand there is some frustration," he said, "they want to build a team. But when you know how to educate and form good players, new ones will come up in time. At Stromsgodset I lost the best player, or two, every year, but every year we got better than the year before."