JAVIER GARRIDO has emerged as one of the men currently under consideration to solve the left-back problem at Celtic.

The 23-year-old Spaniard is currently frozen out at Manchester City after the arrival of £12million signing Wayne Bridge from Chelsea.

City boss Mark Hughes - a former Manchester United team-mate of Celtic boss Gordon Strachan - has indicated he needs to offload some of his squad as he moves to spend even more of the club's Sheikh owners' cash in this window.

Garrido falls into this category and this has alerted several clubs including Celtic, who have been searching for a new left back for more than a year.

Rising star Chad Evans is another player Hughes would be prepared to allow to go out on loan. And the 20-year-old Welshman has also been linked with a short-term move to Parkhead, though there are several clubs in England vying for the striker.

Celtic's pressing need is for another left back. But, with Strachan making it clear he doesn't expect to be spending any serious money in this transfer window, loan deals are considered the best option open to the SPL leaders.

Garrido cost £1.5million when Sven Goran Eriksson brought him to City from Real Sociedad in August 2007 on a four-year deal.

Despite being only 22 at the time, the attack-minded Garrido had already played three seasons in the Spanish club's first team and quickly established himself in City's starting line-up.

Since Hughes took over last year, he has found it harder to get a regular game, but has still managed to make 16 appearances for the Premier League side this season.

Garrido already knows what it is like to play at Celtic Park having lined up for City in a pre-season game there in August.

With his experience at Sociedad and City, Garrido would have no fears about making the grade in the SPL.

Celtic are expected to decide within the next few days if they should make a bid for Garrido. But sources at the club emphasise he is just one of a long list of players currently under consideration.

Many have already been scored off the list.

They include Marseille's Taye Taiwo who fits the bill of the powerful and quick left back Strachan is seeking, but whose £6m price tag keeps him well outwith Celtic's range.

One man desperate to move to Parkhead is Lech Poznan's Bosnian midfielder Semir Stilic, who has been watched several times by club scouts.

However, Stilic's Polish club today re-iterated they are not prepared to allow any of their players to leave in this window.