Former Celtic winger Gary Mackay-Steven has become a free agent again following the end of his short-term contract at Kilmarnock. The 34-year-old, part of Brendan Rodgers’ 2016/17 Invincibles squad, had signed with Killie in December 2023 after a lengthy spell out of the game.

Having been without a club since leaving Hearts at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, Mackay-Steven made his return to Scottish football under Derek McInnes.

He featured through the second half of the season, initially on a deal through to the winter break before earning an extension that saw him stay until the campaign’s end.

But the arrival of Stuart Kettlewell as the new manager at Rugby Park signals a summer of transition, and Mackay-Steven is one of several departures as the new boss reshapes the squad.

The winger made over 60 appearances for Celtic across three seasons, winning three Premiership titles between 2017 and 2019. Though not a guaranteed starter, his time in Glasgow included a league campaign unbeaten from start to finish, as the club dominated domestic football in Rodgers’ first spell in Glasgow.

Once a bright spark on the wing, Mackay-Steven’s career since leaving the Hoops has been marked by inconsistency and injury spells. He showed glimpses of his ability at Aberdeen and Hearts, but a long spell out after leaving Tynecastle raised doubts about whether he’d play again.

His brief spell with Killie proved he still had something to offer, but as things stand, he’s once again on the lookout for a new club. Whether this spells the end for the former Inverness and Dundee United man remains to be seen.