FROM the palazzo to the piazzas, the name of John Guidetti has been drifting ever so gently across the Milan air.

His interview with an Italian newspaper ahead of the Europa League round of 32 match between Celtic and Internazionale became a small part of breakfast alongside the cappuccino and brioche in the bars and cafes of the Lombardian capital on Wednesday morning.

It is likely to be attracting greater attention now that the content has started to wind its way into the more raucous watering holes of Glasgow's Gallowgate in the build-up to kick-off.

In the course of said article, Guidetti, who has a paternal grandfather from Italy, details his deep fondness for Inter and its current head coach, Roberto Mancini.

The issue of whether he feels compelled to stay at Celtic beyond the end of the season, meanwhile, is brushed aside. Ronny Deila does not merit a mention at all.

Guidetti was, of course, linked with a transfer to Inter while he was the hottest property in the Scottish game before the turn of the year. Marseille were said to be interested, too. "Marseille is a beautiful city with an amazing stadium," he remarked at the time.

Of course, Guidetti, on loan at Parkhead from Manchester City as he plays out the closing months of his contract, is now about as hot as a serving of granita. He has lost his place in the starting 11 to Leigh Griffiths and has failed to score since converting a penalty in a 4-0 win League Cup win over Hearts at Tynecastle in late November.

Negotiations over a permanent transfer to the SPFL Premiership champions have stopped and Deila has pointed out that the player has to fine-tune his mental approach with the warning that Celtic "don't want a player who doesn't want to be here."

Perhaps, in these circumstances, it is understandable that Guidetti has permitted his mind to wander back to the happiness of his youth and the love affair he developed with Inter as a result of a brief trial spell and his Swedish countryman, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, wearing the famous Nerazzurri colours.

"They're one of my favourite teams," said Guidetti. "When I was little, I supported Inter. I had the shirt too.

"I'm Swedish and Zlatan was in Milan. I was at San Siro for him.

"Once, I nearly even joined Inter. I was about 13.

"I was taken to Milan and trained there. I also played a bounce game against a former club legend, Beppe Baresi, I think."

Baresi is, indeed, an Inter legend. He made over 400 appearances during a 15-year playing career and went on to work on the technical staff before leaving when Mancini returned to become head coach last November.

Mancini and Guidetti, of course, have history too. Mancini gave the 22-year-old his debut at Manchester City in 2010 and revealed recently that he fears his former protégé will return to haunt him over these upcoming 180 minutes of competition with Celtic.

"I have a lot to thank Mancini for," said Guidetti. "He gave me my debut in the first-team and advised me to go to Feyenoord (on loan).

"He was right, I had my best season in the Netherlands.

"I see that he's spoken about me recently. He's different class, just like he was as a player."

As of yet, though, there is little to reinforce the suggestion that Mancini has designs on getting him back into his playing squad. Deila's intentions seem a little less clear than they once were, too.

"At the end of the season, I'll be a free agent, with no contract," stated Guidetti. "I'm a Celtic player now. It's impossible to say where I'll end up."

One thing Guidetti has clearly enjoyed in Glasgow, though, is playing in front of the Celtic support. He has a healthy respect for the current Inter squad, despite the trials and tribulations that have them sitting 10th in Serie A, but warns that the wall of noise they will face from a sell-out crowd should not be underestimated.

"They're a very strong team," said Guidetti. "[Xherdan] Shaqiri is great. I played against him in the Feyenoord-Basel match.

"Hernanes has great technique and I know the same is true of [Gary] Medel.

"They fight from start to finish, but to come to us and win is not easy.

"Celtic Park will be sold out, with 60,000 people. For me, if you take the fans away from football, there's nothing left.

"Players come and go, but they spend their money to follow the team year after year, and demand only one thing: passion."

Whether Guidetti has quite enough of that where Celtic is concerned remains to be seen.