"Good job I didn't get him."
Neil Warnock has admitted he is relieved his bid for Celtic player Boli Bolingoli failed.
Middlesbrough approached the Scottish champions last week about a possible loan move, but Celtic knocked them back and as it turns out, Boro dodged a bullet.
Bolingoli broke quarantine rules by sneaking in a trip to Spain ahead of Celtic's match against Kilmarnock. The game went ahead but once it transpired that Bolingoli had broken the protocol, Celtic's fixtures against St Mirren and Aberdeen were suspended.
Speaking after the events in Scotland, Warnock told talkSPORT: “I rang Celtic last week asking about Bolingoli on loan! It’s a good job I didn’t get him, isn’t it?”
Asked if he would go back in for him, Warnock replied: “No, not now. It’s just one of those things.
“We lost about five or six players and we’ve only signed one at the minute.
“We’re trying to catch up and it’s difficult in the current market.”
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon condemned the actions of players who broke protocol, saying: “I regret that some football players seem incapable of living up to their responsibilities.”
“We can’t have privileged players just deciding they won’t bother. Don’t expect to see Aberdeen or Celtic play over the coming week. This is a yellow card. Next time will be red.”
Celtic said the player’s actions were “beyond explanation” as they tested their squad and backroom staff twice to ensure there had been no transmission.
Bolingoli apologised, saying he was "guilty of an error of judgement."
